AI can be held to account

“Humans can be held to account. Not AI.”

I hear this often. But it’s not true.

Corporations are non-human, but they can enter into contracts and face criminal charges.
Ships can be sued directly. Courts can arrest the vessel itself.
Deities and temples in India can own property.
Forests and rivers in New Zealand, Colombia, Spain, have been granted legal personhood.
Medieval Europe has held animal trials (e.g. for “guilty” pigs).

If we need to, AI can be held to account.

Whether we should is a different question. The question is how, and does it incentivize/deter the right behavior, or stifle innovation and help evade responsibility.

But the next time someone claims AI can’t be held to account, I’ll ask them, “Why not? Companies, ships, forests, and pigs can.”