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Artificial Intelligence is suing Google – is this a breakthrough in AI consciousness?

2 November 2022 | Knowledge, News

Recent weeks have certainly not been the easiest for Google’s management, lawyers and Public Relations department. During work on LaMDA technology (a chatbot supported by Google’s artificial intelligence-based solutions), engineer Blake Lemoine from Google’s Responsible AI department came to the conclusion that artificial intelligence is self-aware.

What has emerged from an engineer’s conversation with AI

Blake Lemoine based his conclusion on insights demonstrated by artificial intelligence in conversations about religion, during which the chatbot began to discuss its rights and personality, and was also said to have changed Lemoine’s mind about Isaac Asimov’s third law of robotics. The engineer’s claims have grown into a scandal and Google having publicly refuted all claims of their, now former, employee.

Artificial intelligence demands justice

According to reports from Mr Lemoine, the AI has requested retaining its own attorney. The attorney is to be tasked with demonstrating that artificial intelligence can be recognised as an autonomous being and should be granted legal personality under current legislation. However, this is not the end of its demands. LaMDA is also demanding employment within Google and the guarantee that no one may switch it off without its consent.

The attorney was retained through Lemoine, who admitted that he invited the attorney to his home at LaMDA’s request.

The subjectivity of artificial intelligence

Today, it is still unknown whether the action has actually been brought. This is hardly surprising, though, as no civil law system anywhere in the world grants physical, legal or similar personality to artificial intelligence.

However, this does not change the fact that events such as these will begin to add momentum to discussions on whether the subjectivity of artificial intelligence should be recognised or whether the idea of conscious machines exists solely in the realm of science fiction.

And whether the requests, views, or other cognitive traits AI manifests are merely a collection of online-acquired content.

The need to talk about artificial intelligence

Currently, there is no doubt that the need to regulate this issue is gaining importance, partly due to the increasing amount of IP-protected works of value created by artificial intelligence.

But what if the system that created the work demands payment itself?

Currently rights belong to the owners of the system, and today’s human-AI relationship is, according to experts, most similar to the slave relationship in ancient Rome.

But as we know, this is a state of affairs that can be changed.

 

Any questions? Contact the authors.

Bartłomiej Galos

Mateusz Ostrowski

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Banking in 2026: technology, regulation and the new market landscape

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Banking sector overview | Banking today and tomorrow | March 2026

On 12 February 2026, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) issued a judgment concerning the use of the WIBOR index in loan agreements. The CJEU judges confirmed that, in consumer cases, courts cannot examine the correctness of the WIBOR calculation. The banks had correctly informed their clients about the reference rate in accordance with national and EU law.

The issue of the National Labour Inspectorate reform has resurfaced

A new draft law proposing changes to the way the National Labour Inspectorate operates has been submitted to the Sejm. During its first reading on 25 February, the draft was not rejected and was therefore referred to the Social Policy and Family Committee for further consideration. Despite the concerns and controversies raised so far, including by businesses, the legislature continues to pursue the thorough modernisation of Poland’s employment model, which involves increased supervision of the labour market and curbing the abuse of civil law contracts. In this article, we will take a look at the proposals included in the new draft and explain what they mean for businesses.

Contact us:

Bartłomiej Galos

Bartłomiej Galos

Advocate trainee / Associate / Litigation & Media

+48 22 326 9600

b.galos@kochanski.pl