Robots as victims? Examining criminal law’s boundaries in the digital age

Abstract

This article examines whether Australian criminal law should recognise robots and artificial intelligence systems as victims of crime or maintain its human-centred approach. Through critical analysis of Australian legislation and comparative developments in the EU, United States and Japan, it argues that robots should remain classified as property, not persons. International standards such as the UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence and the OECD AI Principles reinforce this position. The article concludes that criminal law should adapt to address harms involving robots without extending legal personhood or victim status to autonomous artificial entities.