AI liability in Europe: How does it complement risk regulation and deal with the problem of human oversight?

This course explores the complex issue of liability in the context of Artificial Intelligence (AI), focusing on who should be held responsible when AI systems cause harm. Using real-world scenarios — such as accidents involving autonomous vehicles or discriminatory decisions by AI tools — the course examines the limitations of risk-based regulation, like the EU AI Act, which often fails to provide victims with rights or clear paths to compensation. Through a law and economics lens, participants will analyse how proposed AI liability rules in the EU, including updates to the Product Liability Directive, aim to complement existing regulations and create fairer, more effective accountability mechanisms for AI-related harms.