Intelligent Agents and the Information Requirements of the Directives on Distance Selling and E-commerce
A.R. Lodder, M.B. Voulon · International Review of Law Computers & Technology · 2002
A significant amount of research in artificial intelligence is dedicated to intelligent agents, software that can perform tasks autonomously. Due to this autonomous character, agents are interesting from a legal perspective: lawyers struggle with the question whether agents are just instruments used by humans or legal entities that can perform legal acts. An interesting area for the practical application of agents is Internet commerce. Agents can find for their users profitable goods and services, and place orders online. The sellers of online goods and services have to meet information requirements that are laid down in the European Union Directives 97/7 and 2000/31. This paper addresses whether online sellers should provide (all) required information to agents directly, and as far as this is the case, in what format the required information regarding prices, delivery costs, etc. should be provided to agents.