‘Be careful, you could face legal action’

As the number of AI-generated content rapidly grows across social media and various platforms, law professors at Izmir University of Economics (IUE) issued important warnings that closely concern users. Pointing out that fake documents and deepfake images can be produced in a matter of seconds, Prof. Dr. Sevilay Uzunallı, Dean of the IUE Faculty of Law, stated that saying “AI did it” does not eliminate legal liability, warning that individuals could face legal or criminal sanctions. Meanwhile, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Candide Şentürk Akaner emphasized that AI outputs should not be accepted as absolute facts and must always be verified.

The rapid global spread of artificial intelligence brings along new legal debates. Providing false or incomplete information with the help of AI, citing non-existent sources and documents, generating misleading content, and violating personal rights in fields directly impacting people’s lives and rights, such as healthcare, law, and finance, can cause serious harm. IUE Faculty of Law Dean Prof. Dr. Sevilay Uzunallı and faculty member Assoc. Prof. Dr. Candide Şentürk Akaner warned that using information and content produced by AI without questioning it can inadvertently expose individuals to legal and criminal consequences.

“RESPONSIBILITY CANNOT BE AVOIDED”

Stating that artificial intelligence holds no legal personality under the current legal system, Prof. Dr. Uzunallı said, “Because AI lacks the capacity for legal rights and obligations, its legal liability cannot be mentioned. Damages arising from AI applications are evaluated according to general principles of law. Liability here is determined by considering the fault of the company developing or launching the AI, whether the business using the system in its commercial activities fulfilled its duty of care, and the conduct of the individual who uses the AI output without questioning it.”

“THERE IS NO DEDICATED LAW YET”

Noting that as of today, Turkey lacks a comprehensive and risk-based dedicated AI law similar to the European Union Artificial Intelligence Act, Prof. Dr. Uzunallı pointed out that this does not mean AI usage remains completely unregulated. Expressing that various existing laws within the current legal framework apply to disputes arising from AI use, Prof. Dr. Uzunallı added: “The Turkish Code of Obligations, the Turkish Penal Code, the Turkish Commercial Code, the Law on the Protection of Personal Data, the Law on Intellectual and Artistic Works, and the Law on Consumer Protection can all be applied to many disputes arising from AI. Additionally, new regulations regarding the novel risks posed by generative AI are currently being drafted.”

“ALWAYS VERIFY THE INFORMATION”

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Candide Şentürk Akaner noted that while AI offers significant convenience in daily life as well as in fields such as law, healthcare, education, and engineering, these systems generate answers based on probabilities rather than absolute truths. Offering crucial advice to citizens, Şentürk Akaner said: “AI outputs should not be accepted as definitive information. Decisions regarding legal, medical, and financial matters must be verified with expert opinions. Identity details and personal data should not be shared with AI applications. Furthermore, boosting digital and AI literacy is of vital importance. Questioning the source and confirming the accuracy of every piece of information encountered in the digital world is now more crucial than ever.”