| Abstract [eng] |
The master’s thesis analyzes the relationship between artificial intelligence and contract law, as well as the related challenges and potential changes in the Lithuanian legal system. The thesis establishes that, at present, artificial intelligence does not affect or cause issues regarding the form of a contract or the legal subjectivity of the parties. The main problems arise when parties use artificial intelligence to create and perform their contractual relationships. The greatest uncertainty currently lies in the element of intent – specifically, in the qualification of automatically concluded contracts and the interpretation of the parties’ will. To ensure legal clarity and practical stability, the thesis proposes supplementing the Lithuanian legal framework with a provision explicitly stating that automatically concluded contracts are attributed to the person who used the program. Accordingly, the thesis discusses the challenges of interpreting the will of a party when a contract is concluded by artificial intelligence. It is noted that, in the future, contract interpretation may become increasingly formalized and mechanical. Lithuanian law contains protective mechanisms that allow parties to challenge contracts concluded by artificial intelligence in the event of a significant imbalance of obligations, making the current Lithuanian regulation favorable for the use of artificial intelligence. However, it is emphasized that a system error, in itself, should not be equated with fraud or mistake. The thesis also discusses other issues related to the performance of contracts, stressing that the conclusion and execution of a contract may be delegated to automated systems only when there are rational grounds for doing so. Nevertheless, the performance of contracts that require professional diligence cannot be fully entrusted to artificial intelligence systems until appropriate standards for such use are established. Finally, the thesis draws attention to artificial intelligence systems prohibited in the European Union – these cannot be a lawful object of a contract. However, contracts concluded by such systems would not automatically be considered invalid. The thesis also analyzes the practice of individualized pricing, which may be restricted under competition law and, in consumer relations, may require transparency regarding the methods used. |
