41 research outputs found
The Value-Sensitive Conversational Agent Co-Design Framework
Conversational agents (CAs) are gaining traction in both industry and
academia, especially with the advent of generative AI and large language
models. As these agents are used more broadly by members of the general public
and take on a number of critical use cases and social roles, it becomes
important to consider the values embedded in these systems. This consideration
includes answering questions such as 'whose values get embedded in these
agents?' and 'how do those values manifest in the agents being designed?'
Accordingly, the aim of this paper is to present the Value-Sensitive
Conversational Agent (VSCA) Framework for enabling the collaborative design
(co-design) of value-sensitive CAs with relevant stakeholders. Firstly,
requirements for co-designing value-sensitive CAs which were identified in
previous works are summarised here. Secondly, the practical framework is
presented and discussed, including its operationalisation into a design
toolkit. The framework facilitates the co-design of three artefacts that elicit
stakeholder values and have a technical utility to CA teams to guide CA
implementation, enabling the creation of value-embodied CA prototypes. Finally,
an evaluation protocol for the framework is proposed where the effects of the
framework and toolkit are explored in a design workshop setting to evaluate
both the process followed and the outcomes produced.Comment: 23 pages, 8 figure
What is a subliminal technique? An ethical perspective on AI-driven influence
Concerns about threats to human autonomy feature prominently in the field of AI ethics. One aspect of this concern relates to the use of AI systems for problematically manipulative influence. In response to this, the European Union’s draft AI Act (AIA) includes a prohibition on AI systems deploying subliminal techniques that alter people’s behavior in ways that are reasonably likely to cause harm (Article 5(1)(a)). Critics have argued that the term ‘subliminal techniques’ is too narrow to capture the target cases of AI-based manipulation. We propose a definition of ‘subliminal techniques’ that (a) is grounded on a plausible interpretation of the legal text; (b) addresses all or most of the underlying ethical concerns motivating the prohibition; (c) is defensible from a scientific and philosophical perspective; and (d) does not over-reach in ways that impose excessive administrative and regulatory burdens. The definition is meant to provide guidance for design teams seeking to pursue responsible and ethically aligned AI innovation