Legal liability and system safety applied to expert systems

As expert systems receive increasing application it is inevitable that legal issues will arise concerning contractual matters, potential liability, and possible governmental regulation in some industries. Contractual matters will concern specifications, acceptance testing, and post acceptance maintenance. Liability issues will be associated with losses alleged to have resulted from someone having followed an expert system's erroneous advice. Regulatory issues will be based on governmental authority and the perceived nature of expert systems and their application. In addressing these concerns it is essential that expert system designers and users understand the underlying legal contexts in which they are working, and include system safety techniques intended to minimize the potential hazards associated with their systems. This will enhance the value of forthcoming expert systems and reduce risks to both product users and product developers.