Call For Papers

Emory Law is proud to host the second annual Legal Scholars Roundtable on Artificial Intelligence. The Roundtable will take place on March 30-31, 2023 at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia.  

The Legal Scholars Roundtable on Artificial Intelligence (AI) is designed to be a forum for the discussion of current legal scholarship on AI, covering a range of methodologies, topics, perspectives, and legal intersections.  

Format 

Between eight to ten papers will be chosen for discussion for Roundtable, with each paper allocated about an hour in total. Each paper will be introduced briefly by a designated commentator (5-10 minutes), with authors allowed an even briefer chance to respond (0-4 minutes), before general discussion and feedback from participants.   

Participation at the Roundtable will be limited and invitation-only. Participants are expected to read all the papers in advance and be prepared to offer substantive comments.  

Topics 

We invite applications to participate, to comment, and/or to present from academics working on any topic relating to legal issues in AI.  

Applications to present, comment, or participate 

Submissions to present can either be in the form of long abstract or a draft paper, the latter is preferred. Microsoft word format is preferred.  

The deadline for submission is February 10, 2023, and decisions on participation will be made shortly thereafter, ideally, by February 17, 2023. If selected, full papers are due March 1, 2023, to permit all participants an opportunity to read paper prior to the conference. Final submitted papers must be in substantially complete form. 

If you would like to make an early submission and request an early decision (because you need to plan for the semester), please do so.  

To apply to participate, comment, or present, please fill out the google form:­­­­­­­ https://forms.gle/7d71U5XUzp57pC7M8).  

What to expect from the Legal Scholars Roundtable on Artificial Intelligence  

The Legal Scholars Roundtable on Artificial Intelligence is a forum for the discussion of current legal scholarship on AI, spanning a range of methodologies, topics, perspectives, and legal intersections. Authors who present at the Roundtable will be selected from a competitive application process, and commentators are assigned based on their expertise.  

Participants will have an opportunity to provide direct feedback in paper sessions and will have access to draft papers but will be asked not to post papers publicly or share without author permission. Robust sessions involve energetic feedback from other paper authors, commentors, and participants. Our goal is to ensure all authors have the full participation of all workshop participants in each author’s session. 

Essential logistics 

The Roundtable will be held in person on the Emory campus in Atlanta, Georgia. The conference will begin on Thursday morning and run until 1PM on Friday. You can expect to be at the Atlanta airport by 1:30PM, in time for a 2:10PM flight or later on Friday.   

Organizers 

Matthew Sag, Professor of Law in Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Data Science at Emory University Law School (msag@emory.edu) 

Charlotte Tschider, Assistant Professor at Loyola Law Chicago (guest co-convenor)  

Emory Law’s Commitment to AI 

Emory University recognizes that artificial intelligence (AI) is a transformative technology that is already reshaping almost every aspect of our lives. Through its AI.Humanity initiative, Emory is building capacity in key areas of AI research and policy, including health care, medical research, business, law, and the humanities.  

Emory Law is aggressively recruiting experts in law and AI who will impact policy and regulatory debates, advise researchers on pathways for ethical and legal AI development, and train the next generation of lawyers.  

Emory Law has long had deep expertise in IP with patent law experts Prof. Margo Bagley and Prof. Tim Holbrook, and in Law & Technology generally thanks to Professor of Practice Nicole Morris, a recognized leader at the intersection of innovation, entrepreneurship and intellectual property. Professor Matthew Sag joined Emory Law in July 2022 as the school’s first hire under the AI.Humanity initiative. Sag is an internationally recognized expert on copyright law and empirical legal studies. He is particularly well known for his pathbreaking work on the legality of using copyrighted works as inputs in machine learning processes, a vital issue in AI. Emory Law’s second AI.Humanity hire, Associate Professor Ifeoma Ajunwa will join Emory Law in the 2023 academic year. Ajunwa’s research interests are at the intersection of law and technology with a particular focus on the ethical governance of workplace technologies.  Ajunwa’s forthcoming book, “The Quantified Worker,” examines the role of technology in the workplace and its effects on management practices as moderated by employment law. Emory Law expects to hire two additional AI researchers this year who will add to our expertise in the legal and policy implications of algorithmic decision-making and in data privacy law.  

As part of its commitment to leadership in the field of law and AI, Emory Law is now the permanent home of the Legal Scholars Roundtable on Artificial Intelligence, convened by Prof. Matthew Sag.