On Thursday, May 29, 2025, the Czech Institute of Informatics, Robotics and Cybernetics (CIIRC) at the Czech Technical University in Prague hosted a full-day conference titled “Legal Aspects of AI and Robotics.” The event attracted professionals from the fields of law, technology, industry, and academia.
The conference was jointly opened by our Scientific Director Prof. Vladimír Mařík, JUDr. Tomáš Sokol, and Prof. Vladimír Smejkal, who outlined the key topics of the day—from liability for the actions of autonomous systems and copyright challenges to forensic analysis of AI-generated evidence.
In the opening technical block, Dr. Josef Šivic, Dr. Pavel Burget, Dr. Lenka Vysloužilová, and Prof. Mařík summarized the current capabilities of AI and robotics and offered a look into future developments. They presented concrete examples from industry, healthcare, and transport, and raised the central question: Can robots think?
Prof. Vladimír Smejkal followed with a legal perspective. In his talk, he emphasized threats related to information crime—such as the misuse of AI for deepfake production or automated fraud.
Mgr. Michal Sýkora expanded on the specifics of corporate criminal liability in the context of emerging technologies—from responsibility across the development chain to the legal options for corporate exoneration.
AI as author, patent or evidence?
After a coffee break, the conference continued with sessions dedicated to intellectual property rights. Prof. Smejkal explored the complexities of authorship in AI-generated content. Who qualifies as the author? What rights apply to the output, and who can claim them? He also addressed the use of datasets and the legal implications of training models on third-party content.
Doc. Petr Kadera and Dr. Pavel Burget then discussed the patentability of AI solutions, focusing on software innovation and practical experience in registering intellectual property in robotics and automation.
AI in industry, healthcare, and transport
The afternoon blocks offered insights into sector-specific applications of AI. In the manufacturing session, Doc. Kadera, Prof. Mařík, Dr. Košnar, and Mgr. Luděk Šrubař discussed AI implementation in production lines, the legal risks of digital twins, and the complexities of contractual relationships between technology providers and manufacturing firms.
In the healthcare session, Prof. Olga Štěpánková and Dr. Lenka Vysloužilová presented practical examples of AI-assisted diagnostics and treatment. They discussed the division of responsibility between doctors and AI tools and the certification of AI as a medical device.
Dr. Michal Sojka, in collaboration with Doc. Milan Hodás, addressed autonomous transportation and the legal issues surrounding accidents involving automated vehicles.
When AI commits crime—and investigates it
The final part of the conference focused on criminal law aspects. JUDr. Jiří Mulák pointed out that AI can be not only a tool for committing crimes but also an instrument for investigating them. In the closing presentation, Prof. Smejkal provided an in-depth analysis of evidence handling in the AI era—from log trails to the use of algorithms to search massive datasets. He also discussed the evidentiary reliability of AI-generated outputs.
Conference speakers:
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Prof. Ing. Vladimír Mařík, DrSc., dr. h. c. – CIIRC CTU
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Prof. Ing. Vladimír Smejkal, CSc., LL.M., DrSc. – CIIRC CTU
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JUDr. Tomáš Sokol – Law firm Sokol, Novák, tdpA
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Dr. Josef Šivic – CIIRC CTU
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Dr. Pavel Burget – CIIRC CTU
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Dr. Lenka Vysloužilová – CIIRC CTU
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Mgr. Michal Sýkora, Ph.D. – Law firm Gřivna & Šmerda
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Doc. Petr Kadera – CIIRC CTU
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Mgr. Luděk Šrubař – Law firm Šrubař & Partners
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Dr. Karel Košnar – CIIRC CTU
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Prof. Olga Štěpánková – CIIRC CTU
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Doc. JUDr. Petr Šustek, Ph.D. – Faculty of Law, Charles University, Department of Medical Law
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Dr. Michal Sojka – CIIRC CTU
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Doc. JUDr. Milan Hodás, Ph.D. – Ministry of Justice of the Slovak Republic, Faculty of Law Comenius University Bratislava, Institute of State and Law SAS
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JUDr. Jiří Mulák, Ph.D. – Faculty of Law, Charles University, Department of Criminal Law
