  The sharing economy is sprawling across almost every sector and activity
around the world. About a decade ago, there were only a handful of platform
driven companies operating on the market. Zipcar, BlaBlaCar and Couchsurfing
among them. Then Airbnb and Uber revolutionized the transportation and
hospitality industries with a presence in virtually every major city. Access
over ownership is the paradigm shift from the traditional business model that
grants individuals the use of products or services without the necessity of
buying them. Digital platforms, data and algorithm-driven companies as well as
decentralized blockchain technologies have tremendous potential. But they are
also changing the rules of the game. One of such technologies challenging the
legal system are AI systems that will also reshape the current legal framework
concerning the liability of operators, users and manufacturers. Therefore, this
introductory chapter deals with explaining and describing the legal issues of
some of these disruptive technologies. The chapter argues for a more
forward-thinking and flexible regulatory structure.
