The author discusses the concept of artificial intelligence and analyses the approaches to its concept and definitions existing in science. In a sketch of emergence of artificial intelligence the author notes artificial intelligence represents a natural stage in the development of technical devices designed to facilitate human intellectual activity. The author offers a classification of devices endowed with artificial intelligence, distinguishing between narrow (weak) AI and general (strong) AI; he outlines the most relevant areas of its development and describes the development stages. Among the spheres of possible application of devices with AI, the author lists the search for and structuring of information; identification of new connections and patterns that humans cannot see; assisting humans in professional activities; relieving humans from time-consuming and unproductive intellectual activities; management automation; assistance in making optimal management decisions. The article places a special focus on the threats and risks associated with the proliferation of AI. The author believes these include: displacement of humans from socially important spheres of activity, and job hijacking; decline in the level of education and qualification of workers leading to degradation of human intellect; corruption of humanity by idle and meaningless existence leading to its physical and cultural degradation; danger of robots making erroneous technical, economic, environmental, medical, etc. decisions; threat of failures in the operation of industrial robots and computerised control systems; particularly dangerous is the deliberate use of robots to cause harm, including the use of military and security systems capable of causing harm to people and property. The article discusses various options for granting AI a legal status. The author assumes a device endowed with artificial intelligence is a complex and autonomously operating tool of human activity, relatively independent of human person. The latter, however, is fully responsible for the consequences of the use of this tool. The author is sure it is counterproductive to artificially extend legal statuses developed for man, who is an individual endowed with consciousness and will, to AI. The article contains results of a “parallel exam” on legal analytics for students and artificial intelligence held at the Department of Law of the National Research University Higher School of Economics in May 2023. Also the author discusses specific areas and examples of the use of AI in law and legal analytics in the spheres of law -making, law enforcement, jurisprudence, and education.
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