Key research themes
1. How can ethical frameworks guide the design of artificial persons to respect autonomy and avoid manipulation?
This research theme explores the ethical considerations involved in the design and development of artificial persons (APs), particularly those intended to serve humans. It focuses on the implications of intentionally embedding servitude or other constraints within APs, examining how such design choices may impact their autonomy, freedom, and moral status. Understanding these ethical dimensions is crucial as advanced robots and AI entities approach capabilities warranting recognition akin to moral personhood.
2. What are the current technological and conceptual limits in creating artificial humans capable of human-like interaction and intelligence?
This theme investigates the state of technology and theory in the creation of artificial humans, focusing on how close current systems come to replicating human cognition, behavior, and interaction. It critically examines the gap between anthropomorphic appearances and underlying cognitive capacities, the challenges in modeling human social and collaborative behaviors, and the limitations of AI in achieving human-level intelligence or consciousness. Insights here help frame realistic expectations and guide future research and development trajectories.
3. How do social, cultural, and philosophical perspectives inform our understanding of artificial humans and their integration into society?
This theme considers interdisciplinary insights from social theory, philosophy, and human-computer interaction (HCI) that explore how artificial humans affect and are affected by social relations, identity, and cultural expectations. It includes analyses of the hybridization of human and digital identities, reflections on human-centered versus more-than-human design perspectives, and critiques of entrenched humanist assumptions in AI development. These perspectives are key to understanding the societal embedding of artificial humans and guiding ethical and design practices.