- Origins and definitions of artificial intelligence (AI)
- AI challenges to legal concepts, such as subjects and agents, and causation.
- Responsibility for AI
- What is the information society?
- How is the information society regulated?
- Online speech and freedom of expression
- Defamation and liability of ISPs
- Data protection
- Digital state surveillance

The module is assessed through two complementary assessments designed to develop knowledge, analytical ability, research skills, and digital communication in the context of AI and/or cyber law.

The blog assessment requires you to engage with a contemporary issue in AI and/or cyber law and to communicate your understanding to a non-specialist audience. You will demonstrate detailed knowledge of relevant legal principles and critically analyse current legal, ethical and societal issues arising from the use of AI and digital technologies. This assessment develops your ability to apply legal reasoning while using appropriate digital platforms and formats to present complex legal ideas clearly and accessibly.

The coursework assessment requires you to undertake independent research into a selected AI and/or cyber law topic. You will conduct (literature) research to evaluate and synthesise legal, policy and digital sources to produce a structured piece of academic writing. This assessment emphasises depth of legal knowledge, critical engagement with sources and the ability to communicate complex legal analysis in an appropriate academic format.

1. Demonstrate detailed knowledge and a systematic understanding of key principles, frameworks and emerging issues in AI and/or cyber law.

Knowledge and understanding

2. Critically analyse contemporary AI and/or cyber law issues, applying legal reasoning to evaluate legal, ethical and societal implications.

Application and problem solving

3. Evaluate and synthesise legal, policy and digital sources to produce structured written work in an academic format.

Research skills

4. Communicate complex AI and/or cyber law concepts clearly and effectively using appropriate digital platforms and formats.

Communication
Digital literacy

Legal databases
e-journals available from the University Library
Law Trove

Murray A, Information Technology Law: The Law and Society. (OUP 2023) - this textbook is available as part of the university library subscription to OUP’s Law Trove service.

Turner J, Robot Rules: Regulating Artificial Intelligence (Palgrave Macmillan 2019)*

*Although over 5 years old, the author is a recognised scholar in the field of law and technology. There is not a more recent publication of this text, however, its content remains academically robust and relevant to the field.

Cyber law and artificial intelligence are becoming increasingly interactive as business and individuals utilise the online space. Therefore, this module will introduce you to both elements to help prepare you for your future careers, whatever they may be.

The internet is the present and future of commerce and social interactions nationally and internationally. Most of us interact online and the businesses and/or clients that you may in the future support almost certainly will. This module seeks to explore how some of the legal principles that you have studied at levels 4 and 5 apply in this online environment.

Artificial intelligence may prove to be the great catalyst of change of the 21st century, stretching beyond human ability to extend or restrict our own rights. Therefore, this module will also explore what AI is and how it interacts with our established legal concepts both online and offline.

The contact hours for the module will be made up of lectures and workshop activities each week. The lectures will be focused on introducing core knowledge and concepts to students in a holistic way. The workshop activities will include discussions, groupwork and drop-in support sessions.

Small group activities will take the form of workshops in which students will be actively engaged in the co-construction of knowledge through a range of individual, paired and group tasks. Students will be developing their understanding of the subject knowledge through application to real life scenarios to gain insight into factors that might have an impact on justice in particular situations. They may do this through a range of practical tasks including advising a client. Active learning will be at the heart of the strategy, and students will be asked to feed ideas and information back to the group for discussion.

Students will be recommended to spend time on independent study tasks including preparation for workshops, carrying out recommended reading, and consolidation of lecture and workshop notes. The balance of the independent study hours will be spent on activities related to the assessment.