IEEE Women in Engineering Affinity Group Panel for IEEE MetroXRAINE 2023

Chatbots are the first non-human entities with which we can have meaningful interactions in our everyday language. Their widespread accessibility is then a cognitive change that is driving us to a cultural revolution, triggered by the main feature that characterizes Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) systems: in contrast to most other software systems, they are trained, thus granting them some sort of autonomy, in devising problem-solving strategies and even setting their own objectives. This challenges our traditional views of artificial entities: are they still only, very complex, objects, or are they transitioning into subjects? It is an unexpected and profound transformation, that prompts important discussions about its societal implications, including the ethical and legal analyses related to the need to reconsider the liability framework to regulate these new entities.

The panel will be devoted to explore and freely discuss these topics, at the intersection of technology, ethics and law.

Luca Mari

Viola Schiaffonati

Veronica Scotti

Luca Mari is a Full Professor of measurement science at the Cattaneo University–LIUC, Castellanza, Italy, where he teaches courses on measurement science, statistical data analysis, and system theory. He is currently the Chairman of the TC1 (Terminology) and the Secretary of the TC25 (Quantities and units) of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and an IEC expert in the WG2 (VIM) of the Joint Committee for Guides in Metrology (JCGM). He has been the Chairman of the TC7 (Measurement Science ) of the International Measurement Confederation (IMEKO).

Viola Schiaffonati is Associate Professor of Logic and Philosophy of Science in the Department of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering at Politecnico di Milano. Her research interests are in the philosophy of AI and robotics, the epistemology and methodology of experiments in computer engineering and autonomous robotics, the ethical issues of intelligent and autonomous systems.

Veronica Scotti is a Contract Professor of Legal Implications of the Engineering Profession at Polytechnic University of Milan, Italy and is a registered lawyer. She received her degree in law from the Catholic University of Piacenza, Italy in 2000, and she has been a registered lawyer in Milan since 2003. Her practice focuses on commercial contracts, construction and engineering, environment, and quality assurance. Due to her long collaboration with engineering faculty, she has built a solid background on legaltechnical issues that is extremely useful in handling disputes involving complex technical problems. Her research interests relate to the analysis of the relationship between measurement activities and metrology and the regulation field, with particular concern for the legal implications of an incorrect specification of measurement uncertainty.

LUCILLA GATT - From 2007 Full Professor of Private Law and New technology Law at Università degli Studi Suor Orsola Benincasa di Napoli (UNISOB). Chair Holder of the Jean Monnet Chair ‘European Protection Law of Individuals in Relation to New Technologies’ (PROTECH 2019-2022) and Senior Advisor and Senior Research Expert of the Jean Monnet Chair ‘European Green Rights: re-shaping fundamental rights for next generations’ (EUGREENEXT 2022-2025), as well as Jean Monnet Module Professor of European Contract Law at the University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli (2005-2009). Member of the technical table of the National Open Science Plan of the Italian Ministry of University and Research.
Fulbright Visiting Scholar at Chicago Law School and Research Visiting Scholar at Cambridge, Paris XII and Heidelberg Universities and more recently Derby University, Paris I-Sorbonne presso l’IRJS-Institute de recherché juridique de la Sorbonne, USI-Unversità della Svizzera Italiana. She has obtained national and international grant and scholarship (such as Fulbright, DAAD, CNR, and Erasmus+JM and Erasmus Mobility Grants). Director of II Master II level degree in Family Minors and Inheritance Law and already Director of II Level Master degree in Data Protection Officer and Privacy law. Since 2016 she is Director of the Research Centre of European Private Law (ReCEPL) at UNISOB and since 2019 she is also member of the scientific committee of CIRB – Centro Interuniversitario di Ricerca Bioetica, at Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II. Since 2008 Director of the Neapolitan section of the Academy of European private lawyers (where she has founded the Observatory on the process of unification of private law in Europe); since 2017 Member of CODEZX Research Group - Ecology and Private Law coordinated. Since 2014 she is also a member of the Interdepartmental Centre of Project Design and Research ‘Scienza Nuova’ and coordinates its Living Lab Utopia on the possible interactions between law and new technologies. From 2013 she is in charge of the legal profile in the Ph.D. course in Humanities and Technologies: an integrated research path and she was coordinator of the Ph.D. Course in Legal strategy for the development and internationalization of SMEs (2012-2016). She is Director of the European Journal of Privacy Law &Technologies, vice-director of Familia Journal, as well as member of the scientific committee of the Diritto di Internet Journal and other reviews.
She edited four monograph and is author of several scientific contribution with national and international impact, as well as speakers in many conferences in Italy and abroad, also with the role of Chair or key note speaker. Lawyer admitted to practice before Superior Courts (Cassazionista) and Arbitrator of the Banking and Finance Arbitrator. Since 2020, she has been a member of the Scientific Committee of the San Marino Trust Academy. Since 2023 she is Member of the Open Science Commission of Experts by Italian Ministry of University and Research (MUR).