He is a principal investigator on the “Artificial Intelligence and Law in New Zealand” project which is funded by the New Zealand Law Foundation’s Information Law and Policy Fund. The first aim of the project is to investigate the way in which AI might affect New Zealand’s justice system. This includes considering issues to do with responsibility, liability and private concerns related to AI. The second aim is to investigate the way in which AI will affect employment law in New Zealand. Connected and autonomous vehicles will be an important case study for the project. James’ co-investigators are Ali Knott who works for Otago’s Department of Computer Science as well as Soul Machines (an AI startup based in Auckland), and Colin Gavaghan from Otago’s Faculty of Law.