Introduction

Abstract

Conflicts emerge naturally and daily from our constant social interactions. While conflicts exist also in other species, the more refined ways we Humans have to resolve them is one of the things that distinguishes us. Conflicts and approaches to their resolution have indeed evolved significantly over time, with technology providing a valuable contribution in the last decades. Artificial Intelligence, in particular, has been providing this field with new approaches to old problems, alleviating the work of legal practitioners and the participation of the parties in such procedures. This book covers these issues in some detail, touching aspects such as the definition of software architectures for conflict resolution platforms or the several ways in which sub-fields of Artificial Intelligence can improve conflict resolution. A particular emphasis is placed on the analysis of the behavior of the parties and their context to better frame the conflict and enrich the decision-making process. This first chapter provides an overview of the topic and of the book.