Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

How AI Systems Challenge the Conditions of Moral Agency?

  • Conference paper
  • First Online:
Culture and Computing (HCII 2020)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNISA,volume 12215))

Included in the following conference series:

Abstract

The article explores the effects increasing automation has on our conceptions of human agency. We conceptualize the central features of human agency as ableness, intentionality, and rationality and define responsibility as a central feature of moral agency. We discuss suggestions in favor of holding AI systems moral agents for their functions but join those who refute this view. We consider the possibility of assigning moral agency to automated AI systems in settings of machine-human cooperation but come to the conclusion that AI systems are not genuine participants in joint action and cannot be held morally responsible. Philosophical issues notwithstanding, the functions of AI systems change human agency as they affect our goal setting and pursuing by influencing our conceptions of the attainable. Recommendation algorithms on news sites, social media platforms, and in search engines modify our possibilities to receive accurate and comprehensive information, hence influencing our decision making. Sophisticated AI systems replace human workforce even in such demanding fields as medical surgery, language translation, visual arts, and composing music. Being second to a machine in an increasing number of fields of expertise will affect how human beings regard their own abilities. We need a deeper understanding of how technological progress takes place and how it is intertwined with economic and political realities. Moral responsibility remains a human characteristic. It is our duty to develop AI to serve morally good ends and purposes. Protecting and strengthening the conditions of human agency in any AI environment is part of this task.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Brożek, B., Janik, B.: Can artificial intelligence be moral agents? New Ideas Psychol. 54, 101–106 (2019)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Ciardo, F., De Tommaso, D., Beyer, F., Wykowska, A.: Reduced sense of agency in human-robot interaction. In: Ge, S.S., et al. (eds.) ICSR 2018. LNCS (LNAI), vol. 11357, pp. 441–450. Springer, Cham (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-05204-1_43

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  3. Esteva, A., Kuprel, B., Novoa, R., et al.: Dermatologist-level classification of skin cancer with deep neural networks. Nature 542, 115–118 (2017)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. FAA: Operational Use of Flight Path Management Systems. Final Report. FAA (2013)

    Google Scholar 

  5. https://www.faa.gov/aircraft/air_cert/design_approvals/human_factors/media/oufpms_report.pdf. Accessed 28 Jan 2020

  6. Fossa, F.: Artificial moral agents: moral mentors or sensible tools? Ethics Inf. Technol. 20, 115–126 (2018)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Grace, K., Salvatier, J., Dafoe, A., Zhang, B., Evans, O.: Viewpoint: when will AI exceed human performance? Evidence from AI experts. J. Artif. Intell. Res. 62, 729–754 (2018)

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  8. Gunkel, D.J.: The Machine Question: Critical Perspectives on AI, Robots, and Ethics. MIT Press, Cambridge (2012)

    Book  Google Scholar 

  9. Hakli, R., Mäkelä, P.: Moral responsibility of robots and hybrid agents. Monist 102(2), 259–275 (2019)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Hallamaa, J.: Yhdessä toimimisen etiikka [The Ethics of cooperation]. Gaudeamus, Helsinki (2017)

    Google Scholar 

  11. Kant, I.: Grundlegung zur Metaphysik der Sitten. Schriften zur Ethik und Religionsphilosophie. Erster Teil. Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft, Darmstadt (1983)

    Google Scholar 

  12. Landry, S.J., Karwowski, W.: Advances in Human Factors and Ergonomics Series: Advances in Human Aspects of Aviation. CRC Press LLC, London (2012)

    Book  Google Scholar 

  13. Latour, B.: Reassembling the Social: An Introduction to Actor-Network Theory. Oxford University Press, New York (2005)

    Google Scholar 

  14. Leikas, J., Koivisto, R., Gotcheva, N.: Ethical framework for designing autonomous intelligent systems. J. Open Innov. Technol. Mark. Complex. 5(1), 18–30 (2019)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Limerick, H., Coyle, D., Moore, J.W.: The experience of agency in human-computer interactions: a review. Front. Hum. Neurosci. 8, 643 (2014)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Lin, P., Abney, K., Jenkins, R. (eds.): Robot ethics 2.0: From Autonomous Cars to Artificial Intelligence. Oxford Scholarship Online (2017)

    Google Scholar 

  17. Marr, B.: Artificial Intelligence in Practice: How 50 Successful Companies Used AI and Machine Learning to Solve Problems. Wiley, Chichester (2019)

    Google Scholar 

  18. Mele, A.R.: Autonomous Agents: From Self-Control to Autonomy. Oxford University Press, New York (1995)

    Google Scholar 

  19. Misselhorn, C.: Collective agency and cooperation in natural and artificial systems. In: Misselhorn, C. (ed.) Collective Agency and Cooperation in Natural and Artificial Systems. PSS, vol. 122, pp. 3–24. Springer, Cham (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-15515-9_1

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  20. Moore, J.W.: What is a sense of agency and why does it matter? Front. Psychol. 7, 1272 (2016)

    Google Scholar 

  21. Morriss, P.: Power. A Philosophical Approach, 2nd edn. Manchester University Press, Manchester (2002)

    Google Scholar 

  22. Mou, Y., Xu, K.: The Media inequality: comparing the initial human-human and human-AI social interactions. Comput. Hum. Behav. 72, 432–440 (2017)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Needham, J.: We are the robots: is the future of music artificial? FACT Magazine. https://www.factmag.com/2017/02/19/we-are-the-robots-could-the-future-of-music-be-artificial. Accessed 28 Jan 2020

  24. Ollila, M.-R: Tekoälyn etiikkaa [Ethics of artificial intelligence]. Otava, Helsinki (2019)

    Google Scholar 

  25. Rochat, P.: Others in Mind: Social Origins of Self-consciousness. Cambridge University Press, New York (2009)

    Book  Google Scholar 

  26. Smith, C.: To Flourish or Destruct: A Personalist Theory of Human Goods, Motivations, Failure and Evil. The University of Chicago Press, Chicago (2015)

    Book  Google Scholar 

  27. Strasser, A.: Can artificial systems be part of a collective action? In: Misselhorn, C. (ed.) Collective Agency and Cooperation in Natural and Artificial Systems. PSS, vol. 122, pp. 205–218. Springer, Cham (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-15515-9_11

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  28. Thomas of Aquinas: Summa Theologiae. Pars prima et prima secundae. Marietti, Torino (1952)

    Google Scholar 

  29. Thompson, Clive: What will happen when machines write songs just as well as your favorite musician? Mother Jones. https://www.motherjones.com/media/2019/03/what-will-happen-when-machines-write-songs-just-as-well-as-your-favorite-musician. Accessed 28 Jan 2020

  30. Tuomela, R.: The Philosophy of Sociality: A Shared Point of View. Oxford University Press, Oxford (2007)

    Book  Google Scholar 

  31. Visala, A.: Tekoälyn teologiasta [Remarks on theology of artificial intelligence]. Teologinen Aikakauskirja 123(5), 402–417 (2018)

    Google Scholar 

  32. von Wright, G.H.: The Varieties of Goodness. Routledge and Kegan Paul, London (1968)

    Google Scholar 

  33. Zdravkova, K.: Reconsidering human dignity in the new era. New Ideas Psychol. 54, 112–117 (2019)

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgement

This research was supported by the project Ethical AI for the Governance of Society (ETAIROS, grant #327352) funded by the Strategic Research Council (Academy of Finland).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Helsinki, 00014, Helsinki, Finland

    Jaana Hallamaa & Taina Kalliokoski

Authors
  1. Jaana Hallamaa
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Taina Kalliokoski
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Taina Kalliokoski .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands

    Matthias Rauterberg

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2020 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this paper

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this paper

Hallamaa, J., Kalliokoski, T. (2020). How AI Systems Challenge the Conditions of Moral Agency?. In: Rauterberg, M. (eds) Culture and Computing. HCII 2020. Lecture Notes in Computer Science(), vol 12215. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-50267-6_5

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-50267-6_5

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-50266-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-50267-6

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation