Introduction: AI That Acts # We’ve moved beyond chatbots. The AI systems emerging in 2025 don’t just answer questions, they take action. They browse the web, book flights, execute trades, send emails, modify code, and interact with other AI systems. They operate with varying degrees of human oversight, from constant supervision to complete autonomy.
Understanding AI liability requires fluency in three distinct vocabularies: artificial intelligence technology, legal doctrine, and regulatory frameworks. This glossary provides clear definitions of essential terms across all three domains, with cross-references and practical examples to illuminate how these concepts interact in real-world AI liability scenarios.
The New Frontier of Defamation Law # Courts are now testing what attorneys describe as a “new frontier of defamation law” as AI systems increasingly generate false, damaging statements about real people. When ChatGPT falsely accused a radio host of embezzlement, when Bing confused a veteran with a convicted terrorist, when Meta AI claimed a conservative activist participated in the January 6 riot, these weren’t glitches. They represent a fundamental challenge to defamation law built on human publishers and human intent.