Legal Implications of Robotic Process Automation and Artificial Intelligence

Readers of my previous article, which sought to debunk some of the myths around robotic process automation and artificial intelligence, were hopefully convinced to not be fearful of an impending jobs apocalypse. However I hope they were not led to believe that a move to RPA is all smooth sailing and happy faces, because the truth is there are numerous processes and rules to consider before your business takes the plunge. Not least of these are the potentially significant legal implications that could arise from inviting robots to take charge of the inner workings of a business. Even though it is a fledgling area for many organisations, we have already encountered numerous legal conundrums as clients work through the changes in the way they engage within their existing ecosystem. Some of these legal implications are specific to an industry vertical or local regulatory settings, but I hope it is helpful to lay some of them out so others can ponder what it could mean for them. I'm hoping this article will open eyes a little wider within organisations looking to proactively prepare and make provisions for their journey into RPA and AI.