Consensus Ex Machina: Contract Law In The Age Of Autonomous Agents
- IJLLR Journal
- Sep 13
- 1 min read
Priyanshu Bisht, B.A. LL.B. (Hons.), Graphic Era Hill University, Dehradun.
Introduction
The Emergence of the Autonomous Economic Actor
The landscape of commerce is undergoing a tectonic shift, driven by the evolution of artificial intelligence (AI) from simple automation to the deployment of genuinely autonomous agents. These are not merely sophisticated software programs executing pre-defined, rule-based tasks; they are systems capable of perceiving their environment, making decisions, learning from experience, and executing complex, multi-step actions without continuous human oversight. This leap from Level 1 rule-based automation, such as robotic process automation (RPA), to Level 4 fully autonomous systems that can proactively set goals and adapt their strategies, marks a paradigm shift in how economic value is created and exchanged. Unlike traditional AI models that operate within predefined constraints, autonomous agents exhibit goal-driven behaviour and adaptability to changing circumstances, acting as collaborators or even teammates in commercial transactions rather than just inert tools. This transition from human- led, machine-assisted commerce to machine-led, human-supervised transactions compels a fundamental re-examination of the legal frameworks that govern it.
