FRANCESCA PALMIOTTO

Researcher in Law and Technology

ABOUT ME

Intersecting Law and Technology

I am an Assistant Professor of Law at the IE University, Madrid. My research explores the intersection of law and technology, with a focus on human rights and justice. I obtained a PhD from the EUI with a thesis entitled “Artificial Intelligence and the Transformation of Criminal Trials in Europe”. When I'm not immersed in the world of research, you can find me traversing trails with Nina, my four-legged fluffy friend.

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MY RESEARCH

Discover my research interests and projects

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE & HUMAN RIGHTS

My research explores how existing and emerging human rights frameworks respond to the challenges and opportunities posed by AI technologies. Within this strand, I also focus on judicial responses to AI litigation adopting a global comparative approach.

EU GOVERNANCE OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES

My research contributes to understanding governance mechanisms and technology regulation, with a specific focus on the European Union (EU).

CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY FOR ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Cutting across business and human rights, corporate due diligence, and AI regulation, my research questions whether EU law establishes a responsibility for AI developers to prevent social harm.

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COURSES

HUMAN RIGHTS AND NEW TECHNOLOGIES

IE University

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and automated systems are increasingly used in different sectors of our everyday lives to evaluate individuals and manage work relations, to include or exclude citizens from social benefits, and even to take decisions with significant consequences. Do these technologies undermine human rights? Do they offer ways to enhance accountability and human rights protections? This course addresses these questions and explores the intersection of human rights and new technologies with a focus on the legal, social and policy challenges.

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Professional Experience

RESUME

September 2024 - ongoing

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR

Assistant Professor of Law at the IE University, Madrid.

April 2022 - September 2024

POST DOCTORAL RESEARCHER

Postdoctoral researcher at Hertie School's Centre for Fundamental Rights working in the project "AFAR: Algorithmic Fairness for Asylum Seekers and Refugees"

September 2018 - April 2022

PHD RESEARCHER

PhD Student at the European University Institute (EUI), Florence. My PhD thesis is entitled “Artificial Intelligence and the transformation of criminal trials in Europe”.

RECENT WORK

When is a Decision Automated?

Open Access in German Law Journal

This paper addresses the pressing issues surrounding the use of automated systems in public decision-making, with a specific focus on the field of migration, asylum, and mobility. Drawing on empirical research conducted for the AFAR project, the paper examines the potential and limitations of the General Data Protection Regulation and the proposed Artificial Intelligence Act in effectively addressing the challenges posed by automated decision making (ADM). The paper argues that the current legal definitions and categorizations of ADM fail to capture the complexity and diversity of real-life applications, where automated systems assist human decision-makers rather than replace them entirely. This discrepancy between the legal framework and practical implementation highlights the need for a fundamental rights approach to legal protection in the automation age. To bridge the gap between ADM in law and practice, the paper proposes a taxonomy that provides theoretical clarity and enables a comprehensive understanding of ADM in public decision-making.

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