A Legal Reflection on the Interpretability and Explainability of Artificial Intelligence: From Conceptualization to Regulatory Frameworks

Document Type : Research Article

Author

Assistant Professor of Private Law, Department (The Research Group) of Islamic Jurisprudence and Law, Institute for Islamic Studies in Humanities, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran

10.22059/jolt.2025.396027.1007387

Abstract

The intersection of artificial intelligence with legal requirements related to the principles of fair trial and the necessity for transparency in legal and judicial decision-making has created a fundamental challenge. The "black box" nature of deep learning systems is at odds with the principle of "reasoned justification," raising the need to reconsider the relationship between technical limitations and legal requirements. Within this framework, the present study aims to assess the feasibility of achieving explainability and interpretability in intelligent systems to meet the legal requirements of fair proceedings, using a descriptive-analytical method and a documentary approach. In this process, the concepts and boundaries of explainability and interpretability are first examined, followed by an analysis of regulatory approaches such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the European Union Artificial Intelligence Act. Furthermore, the technical limitations of these technologies and the resulting legal challenges are analyzed to evaluate the effectiveness of these technologies in meeting legal requirements. Ultimately, the findings indicate that reducing the issue to a binary of "Complete Transparency" or "Absolute Black Box" is an oversimplification; the optimal solution is to design a risk-based regulatory system that enables the realization of algorithmic justice in the age of artificial intelligence.

Keywords

References

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Private Law
Volume 22, Issue 1
Spring & Summer
April 2025
Pages 99-112

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