Is artificial intelligence truly intelligence? This and other questions were discussed at the “Artificial Intelligence, New Technologies and Law” event hosted by the LawAhead Center on the Legal Profession as part of the 10th annual ICON·S conference. This prestigious event, organized by IE Law School, brought together public law experts from around the world at IE Tower in Madrid from July 8th to 10th.

Luis de Carlos, president of the LawAhead Center on the Legal Profession, led a panel with several academic experts. Among the various topics discussed, they talked about the need to approach artificial intelligence with a focus on human dignity and a human-centered perspective. “Artificial intelligence is not real intelligence, just like an artificial flower is not a real flower,” remarked Héctor Álvarez García, PhD in Law and History from the Pablo de Olavide University of Seville.

Meanwhile, Jesús I. Delgado Rojas, who holds a PhD in Law from the University of Seville, showed how algorithmic manipulation is affecting personal autonomy and privacy, highlighting how “technological systems are dangerously shaping human decision-making in a paternalistic way.”

In addition, with the increasing trend of “sharenting” and the use of AI to manipulate images, Yolanda López Nieto, a researcher at the University of Castilla-La Mancha, pointed out the importance of rethinking privacy rights to understand their new implications and address these issues effectively. “Children don’t realize the digital footprint they’re leaving. It could influence their self-esteem in the future,” she said.

As for deepfakes, fake news and misinformation, Elisa Gutiérrez García, PhD in Law from the Complutense University of Madrid, mentioned the paradox that these types of content could be protected by copyright. “In intellectual property law, what matters most is the act of creativity itself, rather than whether the object or the cause strictly adhere to legal standards,” she explained.

Talking about neuroscience and neurotechnology, Ana Maria D’Ávila Lopes, who has a PhD from the University of Fortaleza, pointed out how advances in these fields raise questions about the need for legal regulation, considering they could violate human rights like cognitive integrity or mental privacy. “We’re talking about both conscious and unconscious internal data. This has a huge impact on the law,” she remarked.

To wrap up the session, Beatriz Martínez-Isidoro, an associate professor at the Complutense University of Madrid, talked about transparency and how algorithms affect decision-making in public administration. “We don’t know what AI tools the government is using with our data,” she said, at the same time stressing the need for citizens to participate actively in overseeing and evaluating these automated processes.

The LawAhead Center on the Legal Profession is a center for research and the sharing of information and education for the legal sector and legal experts. It is designed to bring together professionals working in the legal industry with the aim of creating a long-term meaningful impact in society, whilst promoting the values of the legal profession.

ICON·S is an interdisciplinary, scientific forum that brings together over 5,000 experts from around the world to discuss challenges and advances in this branch of the legal system. Its annual conference, one of the most anticipated specialized events of the year, is a meeting point for lawyers, academics and judges to exchange ideas, network and initiate collaborative projects.