Since the beginning of this century, information technologies have been characterized by impressive advancements that have offered us powerful tools such as distributed ledger technologies, blockchain, machine learning algorithms and smart contracts. Corporate law has not been immune from this rapid evolution; in 2014, the news that an algorithm named “Vital” had been appointed to a board of directors of a Hong Kong-based venture capital firm caused a sensation in the business environment and among corporate law scholars. In fact, this algorithm did not assume the legal role of a board member; rather it operated as an advisor of the board of directors aimed at protecting the firm from risky (as well as overpriced) investments.
A similar use of technology at the board level has been noticed as a starting point from which it is conceivable (and desirable) to develop unique tools to overcome humans’ cognitive biases and improve board monitoring function as well as boost businesses’ productivity.
The crucial role of Corporation Technologies in reducing agency costs and promoting the disintermediation of organizational structures has been further emphasised in connection with the corporate social responsibility discourse. In fact, the economist Milton Friedman’s traditional assumption that ‘the only social responsibility’ of the corporation is ‘to increase its profit so long as it stays within the rules of the game’ has been vigorously re-discussed. In the Anglo-American corporate debate, as well as in the European debate, the sustainability of businesses is among the top item in the agendas of leading corporations and policy makers, increasingly so after the pandemic has exposed the vulnerability of economic structures to systemic risks.
In view of the intersection between corporate governance and sustainability, the international debate has identified shareholders’ long-term interests as a point of convergence of private business models and social and environmental values. In other words, private companies are invited to assume a societal role and to design appropriate strategies for managing their impact on the environment and the society as a whole.
The colours of 21st -century corporate law are blue for corporate technologies and green for environmental policies. The prospect of algorithmic governance in contemporary corporate law systems could be a desirable tool as long as it serves to promote the sustainable development of firms integrating management models inspired by IEL general principles but not compromising their competitiveness.
Keywords: Artificial intelligence, Corporate governance, Sustainability
