Xavier Oberson – författare

Drawing on key legal and economic principles, Xavier Oberson, who may be regarded as one of the pioneers of the idea of taxing robots, examines diverse tax models that could be applied to either the use of AI, such as a usage or automation tax, or to AI systems directly, and presents a novel argument in favour of taxing AI. Oberson highlights critical issues including definitions of AI and robots, the complexity of granting a tax capacity to AI, and the compatibility of AI taxes with international tax rules. In particular, this cutting-edge new edition analyses how VAT can be applied to enterprises using AI and autonomous AI systems, and reflects on the legal and technological limits facing lawmakers.

Taxing Artificial Intelligence will be essential reading for scholars, policy makers and students across law and economics. It will also be invaluable for law and tax professionals seeking to understand the latest developments in AI, automation, and the future of work.

In this updated second edition, Xavier Oberson provides an authoritative overview of the instruments and models used to exchange information in tax matters on an international level. This book addresses the latest developments in the movement towards increased global transparency in tax matters and highlights how various international models interact.

Key features of the second edition include:

Lawyers and tax specialists looking to further their knowledge will find this book to be an invaluable reference. Professionals in banking and finance will find this to be an informative read. Students and academics in law, tax and economics will appreciate the clear overview and find many useful insights.

In accordance with guiding legal and economic principles, the book explores the various tax models that could be applied to both the use of robots, such as a usage or automation tax, and to robots directly. Numerous associated issues are discussed, such as the definition of robots for tax purposes, the difficulty of granting a tax capacity to robots, as well as the compatibility of robot taxes with international tax rules. The author concludes by putting forward a possible system for the taxation of robots, taking all of these issues into consideration.

Being the first work of its kind to explore the potential for taxing robots in detail, this book will be a unique resource for researchers in the fields of law and economics who have an interest in the impact of artificial intelligence. Lawyers and tax professionals can also benefit from Oberson''s insights on what future models of taxation may look like and what the legal consequences may be.

Key Features:

Lawyers, tax specialists and professionals in banking and finance looking to further their knowledge and gain insights into new developments in digital platforms and crypto currencies will find this book to be an invaluable reference. Students and academics in law, tax and economics will appreciate the clear overview and find this an essential resource.

This book has the merit of being the first book analysing different aspects of data taxation from a wide perspective encompassing not only tax law but also other significant issues related to data, such as data protection and economic inefficiencies. The main aim is to provide data-specific solutions to data-driven problems. In the midst of a number of critical issues and a great deal of uncertainty currently reigning in the field, the authors attempt to put forward easy-to-implement and efficient proposals on the basis of an interdisciplinary analysis. 

The core idea of this book consists of segregating the utilisation of data into four different yet interdependent steps and constructing the tax law analysis on top of these four corner stones. Step one, occurring in the generation and collection phases of the data’s life cycle, comprises ‘the digital barter’ and other collection of data. Step two, taking place during the processing and analytics phasesof the data’s life cycle, consists of microwork. Step three, situated in the storage, processing, analytics and use phases of the data’s life cycle, encompasses aggregation and internal use of data. Step four, materialising during the distribution and use phases of the data’s life cycle, covers sale of data, transfer of data and granting the right to use a database. 

The main issues occurring in each of the four steps are analysed separately, and yet interdependently, with an emphasis on international tax law. The book also comprises a VAT analysis; suggestion of a new type of tax, namely «data collection tax»; and a brief opinion on a potential future «robo-data tax». 

The subjects explored in this book are of interest for researchers, lawyers as well as tax administrations. Albeit being an academic publication, the developments made in this contribution are also relevant for the general public. After all, data, the youngest intangible, constitute the raw material of the fourth industrial revolution; and their use and taxation affect each and every citizen!