Source: The Conversation

An article in The Conversation discusses how AI-related harm often develops gradually and remains hidden until it becomes significant, presenting unique challenges for the legal system. Unlike immediate and overt issues, such harms—such as systemic bias, privacy erosion, or environmental damage caused by data centers—can go unnoticed for extended periods. The piece, written by a legal scholar, emphasizes the difficulty in pinpointing accountability for slow-building risks, especially when harm is spread across diverse stakeholders and systems.

The article argues for proactive, adaptive legal frameworks to address these challenges. Key recommendations include implementing continuous monitoring of AI systems, requiring algorithmic transparency, and enacting laws that hold developers and deployers accountable for cumulative harms. The scholar also advocates for the inclusion of precautionary principles in AI governance, ensuring that potential long-term risks are mitigated before they cause widespread damage.