On Thursday, 4 June 2026, during the first day of the 7th edition of Bucharest Arbitration Days 2026, held on 4–5 June 2026, Professor Ștefan Deaconu, the President of the Court of International Commercial Arbitration, Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Romania, attended the event and delivered an opening address with the following content:

Distinguished guests,
Dear colleagues,

Good morning and welcome to Bucharest Arbitration Days, event organized by the Court of International Commercial Arbitration attached to the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Romania and our partner Wolters Kluwer Romania.

We are at the 7th edition of the conference and the main subject of the discussions is the evolving role of evidence in international arbitration and its impact on legitimacy, efficiency and due process.

The conference will address admissibility, privilege, standards of proof and tribunal discretion across legal traditions, while exploring emerging issues such as digital and AI-assisted evidence, data integrity and cybersecurity.

Today, in the field of commercial arbitration, one thing is clear: technology is revolutionizing the way we resolve disputes, bringing efficiency, accessibility and profoundly transformative changes to our practice.

But, what is the role of technology in commercial arbitration?

Arbitration has always been seen as a faster and more efficient alternative to the state justice exercised by the courts, particularly in the case of complex cross-border disputes. Currently, technology has further amplified these advantages, creating new paradigms for dispute resolution. A prime example of this is online dispute resolution, which allows parties to resolve disputes entirely or mainly online.

Online dispute resolution is not a new concept. Institutions such as the ICC, WIPO and the American Arbitration Association have been exploring its potential for years.

Other arbitral institutions have followed this model so that, for example, the Singapore International Arbitration Centre has introduced provisions for the Singapore Centre Gateway, an online case management system, into its Arbitration Rules. Also, we, at the Court of International Commercial Arbitration attached to the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Romania have introduced since 2019 the possibility of online dispute resolution.

These developments demonstrate a strong institutional commitment to using technology to streamline arbitration processes.

At EU level, since february 2020, the European Commission has been working on a digital and data strategy for Europe, with the aim of extending the EU’s digital sovereignty and setting global standards in the digital economy. Since then, the EU has adopted an unprecedented number of new flagship digital regulations and is expected to update the existing framework of the General Data Protection Regulation with regard to personal data.

In 2024, many EU regulations have entered into force and more are being drafted. These new pieces of legislation set out a common legal framework for Europe’s digital and data market, with significant implications for digital service providers, platforms and all businesses offering connected products in the EU.

Taken together, these multi-layered regulations reflect the European legislator’s ambition to set a global standard for regulating the digital world and also mark the beginning of a new era of data regulation, similar to the period when the adoption of the GDPR was imminent.

The current wave of digital regulations is having an imminent and practical impact on many businesses. They are obliged to comply with new legal requirements at an early stage, in order to align their products and processes with new and future digital regulations.

In this context, we expect the number of disputes centered on new digital regulatory rules to increase in the coming years.

Beyond online dispute resolution, one of the most important technological advances in arbitration today is artificial intelligence. Initially, AI was used for relatively simple tasks, such as classifying documents or generating logs, but it has since evolved into much more sophisticated uses. Today, generative AI, which can create new texts, images and other forms of data is changing the way we think about the future of arbitration.

Tools like ChatGPT, Jus Mundi’s AI- research assistant or Thomson Reuters’ CoCounsel already assist arbitrators and lawyers in tasks ranging from legal research to document summarization.

But, the influence of AI does not stop there. Large law firms, especially those dealing with complex international arbitrations are looking at new ways to harness AI.

What are the benefits of innovation?

The most obvious advantages of these technological innovations are efficiency and cost reduction in dispute resolution. Arbitration has long been preferred for its ability to reduce the time and expense involved in resolving disputes and these tools only enhance these advantages. AI, for example, can help identify unfounded claims early in the process, allowing parties to focus their resources on substantive issues.

Moreover, the emergence of AI tools can help smaller firms compete with larger. By automating certain tasks traditionally performed by junior lawyers, such as sorting documents or summarizing case law, smaller firms can produce high-quality work with fewer resources. This could open up the arbitrage market, providing smaller firms with better conditions of competition compared to large firms.

However, we have both challenges and risks

The integration of technology into arbitration is not without its challenges. In particular, AI raises significant ethical and practical issues. The “Black Box” problem – in which AI reaches conclusions through models that humans cannot fully understand – creates discussions about transparency and trust.  In the context of arbitration, where parties rely on fairness and due process, the opacity of AI’s decision-making process can be particularly concerning.

In addition, potential misuse of technology such as deepfake videos or false testimony in remote hearings, is a real threat. As these technologies become increasingly sophisticated, arbitrators and practitioners need to remain vigilant about the risks of manipulation. For example, it is currently possible to create live deepfake videos that could be used in remote testimony, potentially compromising the integrity of the proceedings.

There’s also the issue of privacy. Many AI tools do not provide guarantees of confidentiality, which is one of the basic advantages of international arbitration. Even some AI services have developed systems that maintain privacy, it is essential for practitioners to remain cautious when using AI for sensitive matters.

The emergence of AI in the market has affected not only businesses, but also the way dispute resolution works.

At the intergovernmental level, Working Group 2 of the UNCITRAL has developed model arbitration agreements, provisionally referred to as ,,Specialised Express Dispute Resolution Clauses”, which companies can adopt and integrate into their contracts. Also, Working Group 3 of the UNCITRAL developed draft provisions on evidence reflecting a broader movement toward greater transparency and consistency in evidentiary standards.

But, what is the future of arbitration and technology?

Looking to the future, it is clear that technology will continue to play a transformative role in arbitration. As we adopt these tools, we need to do so carefully. Generative AI, in particular, presents both opportunities and challenges. While AI can help with document review, legal research and even decision writing, it also introduces risks, such as bias, errors and lack of accountability.

In addition, AI itself will likely become the subject of future disputes.

Despite these challenges, arbitration remains suitable for resolving disputes arising from technological innovation.

The conclusion is clear: let’s use innovation wisely!

The integration of technology into domestic and international arbitration is not an option, but a necessity. These innovations have the potential to make commercial arbitration more efficient, accessible and cost-effective. However, as we incorporate AI and other tools into our practice, we need to remain aware of their risks and limitations.

It is an exciting time for practitioners in the field of commercial arbitration. But, in the same time, we have a unique opportunity to shape the future of dispute resolution by using technology to improve the quality and efficiency of arbitration while protecting its fundamental principles. By adopting these innovations, we can ensure that commercial arbitration will continue to be a leading method for dispute resolution in an increasingly complex and digitized world.