The New York Convention’s Borderline: Blockchain Arbitration and Artificial Intelligence

Matthias Lehmann explores the transformative impact of both blockchain and artificial intelligence on arbitration, and their implications for the longstanding status, within the international arbitration community, of the New York Convention. His point of departure is that blockchain arbitration introduces a paradigm shift, enabling a global community of users to serve as arbitrators, while AI poses the intriguing possibility of supplanting human arbitrators with algorithmic decision-making. Matthias’ inquiry revolves around a pivotal question: are decisions made through current blockchain arbitration or AI models compatible with the New York Convention, warranting recognition and enforcement within its framework? This fundamental query is intertwined with an examination of another development: the potential for self-enforcement through mechanisms like smart contracts, which autonomously execute decisions. He scrutinizes these mechanisms and their complexities, aiding in forming a stance on whether a different framework, distinct from the NYC, may be necessary.