Comparative Law Review

Comparative Law Review

A Comparative Study of the Sale of AI-Based Products in Light of the International Sale of Goods Convention with a Focus on Intellectual Property Right

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors
Habib Talebahmadi 1
Abbas Keshavarz Moayedi 2
1 Assistant Professor, Faculty of law and Political Sciences,University of Shiraz ,Shiraz ,Iran.
2 PhD Candidate in Private Law, Faculty of Law & Political Sciences, University of Shiraz, Shiraz, Iran
10.22059/jcl.2026.400875.634796
Abstract
The United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG) and Iranian Civil Law Act were established for the sale of tangible goods. However, rapid technological advancements, particularly in the field of artificial intelligence, have introduced a new range of products into the realm of commerce—products that are often intangible, variable in performance, and inherently risky. This article seeks to address three fundamental questions regarding AI-based products: Can such products be considered goods? In cases of product malfunction, how is the boundary between non-delivery and non-conformity determined? What is the criterion for assessing conformity in high-risk technological products? An examination of the legislative history of the Vienna Convention and Iranian Civil Law Act reveals that uncertainties regarding its applicability to intangible products stem from differing legal foundations among member states and strict interpretations in Iranian law. Therefore, by employing a comparative interpretive approach, analyzing the suitability of rules, and examining the legal principles of the European Union, the United States, and the United Kingdom, this study demonstrates that the CISG and Iranian Law have the potential for a broad interpretation to encompass such products. However, this requires a rethinking of traditional concepts such as the nature of goods, delivery, conformity, and liability.
Keywords
;">Conformity Obligation, Intangible Goods, Rule-Fitness Test, Smart Products, Unpredictable Algorithms.
Subjects
  1. A) Books
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  5. Gillette, Clayton P. & Walt, Steven D. (2016). The UN Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
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  1. B) Articles
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  6. Ebers, Martin. (2021). Liability For Artificial Intelligence And EU Consumer Law. Journal of Intellectual Property, Information Technology and Electronic Commerce Law, 12 (2), 204–220.
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  8. Hayward, Benjamin. (2021). To Boldly Go, Part II: Data As The CISG’s Next (But Propably Not Final) Frontier. UNSW Law Journal, 44 (4), 1482–1523. https://doi.org/10.53637/NTIC9846
  9. Ivković, Ratko; Dabetić, Marina; Marković, Aleksandar; & Stanković, Miloš. (2024). Application Of The EU Artificial Intelligence Act Adopted In August 2024 To Software Products Legal Implications And Update Obligations. In Challenges of Modern Economy and Society through the Prism of Green Economy and Sustainable Development (pp. 225–238). Serbia: CESGED.
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  1. C) Dissertations
  2. Oijen, Milja van (2024). Modernization of the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods: Extending the CISG Scope of Application to Contracts for the International Sale of Datasets of Personal Data. Master's thesis. By Supervisor Maximilian Huemer. Helsinki. Finland: University of Helsinki, Faculty of Law, Dissertation Defense Date: May 2024

 

  1. D) Websites
  2. Industrial ink-jet printers case (Court of Appeal Koblenz 1993). Available at: https://cisg-online.org/search-for-cases?caseId=6071
  3. L. TEEL COMPANY, INC. v. HOUSTON UNITED SALES, INC. (Supreme Court of Mississippi. 1986). Available at: https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=14625098189646847548&q=J.L.+Teel+Co&hl=en&as_sdt=2006
  4. Nederlands Uitgeversverbond and Groep Algemene Uitgevers v Tom Kabinet Internet BV and Others. (Court of Justice of the European Union 2019). Available at: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex:62018CJ0263
Comparative Law Review
Volume 17, Issue 1 - Serial Number 33
Spring & Summer 2026
August 2026
Pages 209-237