Real-World Scenarios
Understanding how accountability breaks down in practice helps clarify why human-mapped liability matters. Click on any scenario below to learn more about how clear liability rules would change the incentives for everyone involved.
Autonomous Customer Support Agent
An AI agent handles customer service requests, including issuing refunds, applying credits, and modifying account settings.
Dead Man’s Switch Autonomous Agents
An autonomous system is configured to execute actions if a human fails to signal their presence, raising questions about posthumous authority and accountability.
Infrastructure Management Agents
AI systems manage cloud infrastructure, network configurations, and operational technology, making decisions that affect system availability, security, and performance.
Multi-Agent Coordination Systems
Multiple AI agents coordinate with each other to accomplish complex tasks, with decisions emerging from their interactions rather than any single agent.
Trading and Procurement Agents
AI systems execute financial trades or procurement decisions on behalf of organizations, often at speeds and scales that preclude human review of individual transactions.