International Law and AI

This subject critically explores the intersection of international law and Artificial Intelligence (AI). We conceptualise AI as an ‘Algorithmic Leviathan’ – a powerful force reshaping global power, economies, and societies. Rather than a regulatory void, the course examines how existing international legal frameworks (in trade, human rights, humanitarian law, etc.) grapple with AI’s multifaceted impacts – from its resource-intensive creation and data extraction to its deployment in autonomous systems and decision-making. You will critically analyse attempts to govern AI, considering the interplay between states, corporations, and the risks of ‘regulatory capture’. The subject also explores AI’s potential to serve international law’s goals, such as enhancing access to justice, while remaining vigilant about biases and ethical challenges. Through lectures, discussions, and hands-on AI tool exercises (no coding background needed), you will develop a sophisticated understanding of how international law is responding to, and being reshaped by, AI’s advance.