How AI Systems Challenge the Conditions of Moral Agency?

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.Peer reviewe

The Uncanny Valley of the Virtual (Animal) Robot

In this paper we explore whether the uncanny valley effect, which is found for human-like appearances, can also be found for animal-like virtual characters such as virtual robots and other types of virtual animals. In contrast to studies that investigate human-like appearance, there is much less information about the effects concerning how a virtual character’s animal-likeness influences their users’ perception. In total, 162 participants evaluated six different virtual panda designs in an online questionnaire. Participants were asked to rate different panda faces in terms of their familiarity, commonality, naturalness, attractiveness, interestingness, and animateness. The results show that a robot animal is perceived as less familiar, common, attractive, and natural. The robot animal is interesting and animate to users, but no big differences with the other images are found. We propose future applications for the human-(animal) robot interaction as tutorial agents in videogames, virtual reality, simulation robot labs using real-time facial animation.In this paper we explore whether the uncanny valley effect, which is found for human-like appearances, can also be found for animal-like virtual characters such as virtual robots and other types of virtual animals. In contrast to studies that investigate human-like appearance, there is much less information about the effects concerning how a virtual character’s animal-likeness influences their users’ perception. In total, 162 participants evaluated six different virtual panda designs in an online questionnaire. Participants were asked to rate different panda faces in terms of their familiarity, commonality, naturalness, attractiveness, interestingness, and animateness. The results show that a robot animal is perceived as less familiar, common, attractive, and natural. The robot animal is interesting and animate to users, but no big differences with the other images are found. We propose future applications for the human-(animal) robot interaction as tutorial agents in videogames, virtual reality, simulation robot labs using real-time facial animation

Degrees of Empathy: Humans\u2019 Empathy Toward Humans, Animals, Robots and Objects

The aim of this paper is to present an experiment in which we compare the degree of empathy that a convenience sample of students expressed with humans, animals, robots and objects. The present study broadens the spectrum of the elements eliciting empathy that previous research has so far explored separately. Our research questions are: does the continuum represented by this set of elements elicit empathy? Is it possible to observe a linear decrease of empathy according to different features of the selected elements? More broadly, does empathy, as a construct, resist in front of the diversification of the element eliciting it? Results show that participants expressed empathy differently when exposed to three clusters of social actors being mistreated: they felt more sad, sorry, aroused and out of control for animals than for humans, but showed little to no empathy for objects. Interestingly, robots that looked more human-like evoked emotions similar to those evoked by humans, while robots that looked more animal-like evoked emotions half-way between those evoked by humans and objects. Implications are discussed

Consumer attitudes towards nanotechnologies applied to food production

The literature on public perceptions of, and attitudes towards, nanotechnology used in the agrifood sector is reviewed. Research into consumer perceptions and attitudes has focused on general applications of nanotechnology, rather than within the agrifood sector. Perceptions of risk and benefit associated with different applications of nanotechnology, including agrifood applications, shape consumer attitudes, and acceptance, together with ethical concerns related to environmental impact or animal welfare. Attitudes are currently moderately positive across all areas of application. The occurrence of a negative or positive incident in the agri-food sector may crystallise consumer views regarding acceptance or rejection of nanotechnology products. •Acceptance of agrifood nanotechnology based on perceptions of risk, benefit and ethics.•Attitudes towards nanotechnology in general are currently moderately positive.•Occurrence of a major nanotechnology-related "event" may crystallise consumer attitude

Addressing zero-hunger through tourism? Food security outcomes from two tourism destinations in rural Ethiopia

Underpinned by sustainable livelihood thinking, this study investigated community stakeholders' perspectives on the impacts of tourism on food security in two rural tourism destinations: Debarq and Meket in Ethiopia. Semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions were conducted with a range of stakeholders to solicit their perspectives, revealing the complexity of the tourism and food security relationship. Although tourism had brought about some small changes to food availability, access and utilisation, there were limitations around its contribution to food stability. This was primarily due to the nature of tourism employment and lack of linkages between tourism and local agriculture. Tourism was not strong enough nor properly integrated with existing livelihoods to support the local communities' food security, generally only offering a minor contribution. This research highlights the challenges for tourism to contribute to local communities' food security, offering policy-relevant guidance for addressing the food security challenges of tourism destinations