CFP: Artificial Intelligence and Collective Agency

Workshop themes

There is a significant philosophical literature on the agency of organised groups of humans, like corporations and states. It is sometimes noted that group agency is a sort of artificial agency, in that (for example) corporations are entities we create and shape, and that plausibly themselves exhibit agency over and above their members’ agency. Corporations and states are also significant players in creating and deploying AI systems. This workshop will address two major themes:

(1) Analogies between AI and group agents. For example, might work on the agency and moral status of groups illuminate corresponding issues concerning AI (e.g. responsibility gaps)? Might work on corporate transparency and accountability bear on the kind of “explainability” we should want for AI?

(2) Embedding AI systems in group agents. Could AI systems be members of group agents? If so, how might their presence affect group-level features like the group’s obligations and moral responsibility?

The event will be philosophy-led, but also open to researchers in business ethics, law, computer science and other relevant disciplines. In addition, we welcome policy and business practitioners.

The event will conform to the BPA / SWIP Good Practice Scheme and Guidelines for Accessible Conferences. The planned venue is wheelchair accessible, and has a hearing loop.

This workshop is made possible by generous financial support from the Mind Association and Oxford's Institute for Ethics in AI.

Call for abstracts

Please submit abstracts of no more than 500 words in PDF format using this Google Form: https://forms.gle/Lch3W1fzxUk9BqgA8

We welcome contributions that fit the workshop's themes from philosophers, business and management scholars, computer scientists, and others. Submissions are open to academics and theme-relevant professionals at any career stage, but we intend to favour applications from those early in their careers.

Speakers selected via this CFA will join our distinguished invited speakers Kendy Hess (College of the Holy Cross) and Kenneth Silver (Trinity Business School).

Any questions (but not abstracts) should be directed to David Storrs-Fox ([email protected]).