The buzz regarding the potential for artificial intelligence (“AI”) to revolutionise our lives is inescapable. Development of AI technology is a huge growth area, and investors are banking on an “AI boom” in everything from cybersecurity and healthcare. The capabilities and achievements of AI in some areas are certainly astonishing – self-driving cars are no longer theoretical but a reality, and AlphaGo is now arguably the strongest Go player in history. But the picture isn’t all rosy, which the Economist has recently described as a ‘Techlash’ against the digital giants. As with any technology, there are negative as well as positive effects of AI. Applications of AI in social media can help us find long-lost friends, but those same channels can be manipulated to disseminate fake news and influence our decisions. Are these and other similar worries matters of public concern that warrant a societal response? AI applications, whether it’s a smart city, logistics management or build to order (BTO) and just-in-time manufacturing can be optimised to increase efficiency but who should take responsibility when automated processes cause harm?