Record STMT-WA46538Soft law

Legal Personhood and Robotics: Birth of the Smart Android and of the Biodroid

Report State lawGlobaladopted

This academic article investigates the legal and physical concept of birth and death for advanced robotic entities such as smart androids and hybrid biodroids, applying the French legal framework on natural persons. It proposes that an entity's legal birth begins at its first activation, while subsequent software modifications or loss of organic components that disrupt its system of thought constitute the death of a previous version and the birth of a new one. Ultimately, the paper provides recommendations for adapting legal personhood and assessing the viability of autonomous robotic entities.

Summary and content fields are drawn from the document text and are pending editorial review.

Who issued it

London School of Economics and Political ScienceAcademic

Publisher

Legal forceSoft law

Under whose authorityState law

Judged fromfull text

Who it governs

Researchers and academicsNational governmentRegulatorsInternational community

Researchers, legal scholars, and policymakers examining the intersection of artificial intelligence, robotics, and legal personality.

Sectors

Research and science · robotics and legal researchCross-sector

What the document contains

What's covered

The document addresses the legal classification of advanced robots under the European Parliament's proposed 'electronic person' status, using French law to define concepts of birth, death, and viability for smart androids and hybrid biodroids.

What's missing

It does not provide binding legislation, specific enforcement mechanisms, or comprehensive cross-jurisdictional legal frameworks outside of French civil law.

Key takeaways

The legal birth of a smart android or biodroid can be analogized to French legal concepts of natural persons and corresponds to its first activation.
Any modification to an entity's software or system of thought outside of autonomous development constitutes the death of the previous version and the birth of a new version.
An entity's status as an electronic person is tied to an inseparable whole comprising its system of thought and its physical or bio-organic support.
Viability for smart androids and biodroids requires meeting criteria for safe, efficient, and sustainable operation toward their design purpose.
Consciousness is not a prerequisite for initial legal personhood under French law, though it becomes relevant when assessing legal liability.

Outline

1. Introduction
2. Materials and Method
3. Analysis
4. Discussion
5. Limitations
6. Conclusions

Issued6 July 2023

Length7,993 words · 13 pages

FormatNot recorded

Scopeglobal

How it scores

Pending review

Each score is backed by a quote verified against the document text. Editorial review has not yet confirmed them.

Accountability

2/5

Clear responsibility for AI outcomes

highlighting the need of a legislation addressing the machines’ responsibilities

1. INTRODUCTION

screening score · 2026-10-24

Fairness

0/5

Non-discrimination and equitable treatment

screening score · 2026-10-24

Human Dignity

0/5

Respect for the inherent worth of persons

screening score · 2026-10-24

Human Oversight

0/5

Humans remain in control of consequential decisions

screening score · 2026-10-24

Privacy

0/5

Protection of personal data and private life

screening score · 2026-10-24

Transparency

0/5

Openness about how AI systems work and are used

screening score · 2026-10-24

Enforcement

0/5

Consequences and compliance mechanisms with real force

screening score · 2026-10-24

Impact Assessment

0/5

Required assessment of an AI system's risks/impacts before or during use

screening score · 2026-10-24

Topics

Physical AI Governancesupporting

legal_personhood robotics artificial_intelligence electronic_person biodroid