This event is organized by the Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society.

Our weekly SRI Seminar Series welcomes Henry Shevlin, a philosopher and AI ethicist whose research explores the philosophy of mind and cognitive science. In this talk, Shevlin will present an overview of the risks and benefits of Social AI, understood as conversational AI systems that cater to human social needs like romance, companionship, or entertainment. This session will be moderated by Karina Vold.

Abstract:

This paper presents an overview of the risks and benefits of Social AI, understood as conversational AI systems that cater to human social needs like romance, companionship, or entertainment. Section 1 of the paper provides a brief history of conversational AI systems and introduces conceptual distinctions to help distinguish varieties of Social AI and pathways to their deployment. Section 2 of the paper adds further context via a brief discussion of anthropomorphism and its relevance to assessment of human-chatbot relationships. Section 3 of the paper provides a survey of potential and in some cases demonstrated harms associated with user interactions with Social AI systems. Finally, Section 4 discusses how the benefits and harms of Social AI can best be addressed, with a primary focus on how frameworks from AI ethics can inform their development.

Suggested reading:

Shevlin, Henry. “All too human? Identifying and mitigating ethical risks of Social AI.” Law Ethics Technol. 2024(2):0003.

About Henry Shevlin

Henry Shevlin is a philosopher and AI ethicist whose research explores the philosophy of mind and cognitive science. He is an associate director of education at the University of Cambridge’s Centre for the Future of Intelligence, where he leads the Consciousness and Intelligence project and the AI Ethics & Society Master’s of Studies program. Shevlin is a Bye fellow and teaching fellow at Downing College, and a philosophy preceptor at Corpus Christi College. He holds a BA in classics and a BPhil in philosophy from Oxford University, and a PhD in philosophy from the CUNY Graduate Center.

About the SRI Seminar Series

The SRI Seminar Series brings together the Schwartz Reisman community and beyond for a robust exchange of ideas that advance scholarship at the intersection of technology and society. Seminars are led by a leading or emerging scholar and feature extensive discussion.

Each week, a featured speaker will present for 45 minutes, followed by an open discussion. Registered attendees will be emailed a Zoom link before the event begins. The event will be recorded and posted online.

Note: Event details can change. Please visit the unit’s website for the latest information about this event.