AI-Based Data Fabrication as a Tort: Civil Liability in Conference Fraud Vina Rohmawati
Universitas Terbuka (Open University)
Abstract
The development of artificial intelligence (AI) technology has brought significant transformation to the world of research, while also creating serious new avenues for abuse. This study analyzes an alleged case of research falsification by a group of Indonesian citizens at the International Symposium on Pneumonia and Pneumococcal Diseases (ISPPD) 2026 conference in Copenhagen, Denmark. The focus is on AI-based data fabrication actions directed at illegally obtaining travel grants, examined as a Tortious Acts (onrechtmatige daad) based on Article 1365 of the Indonesian Civil Code, along with the civil liability of the perpetrators. The research method is normative juridical, using case, statute, and conceptual approaches. This study examines: (1) the qualification of AI based data fabrication as a Tortious Act under Article 1365 of the Indonesian Civil Code- (2) the construction of the perpetrators civil liability toward the victims (grant making institution, universities, and conference organizers)- and (3) the legal implications of AI use on academic integrity and digital evidence. The results show that fabricating research data and manipulating identity through AI to obtain travel grants fulfills all elements of a Tortious Act under Article 1365 of the Indonesian Civil Code. Furthermore, these actions also constitute violations of electronic information manipulation as stipulated in Article 35 of the Electronic Information and Transaction Law (ITE Law). The perpetrators civil liability includes material damages for costs incurred by the grantor, as well as potential moral claims, this study recommends establishing a collective legal response mechanism for the digital research ecosystem of Indonesia.
Keywords: AI data fabrication - academic fraud - civil liability - tortious acts - travel grant.
Topic: Technological Moderation for Collective Legal Response (Legal Innovation- Collaborative Regulation- Technology and Law)
