Bad machines corrupt good morals

Nils Köbis (), Jean-François Bonnefon and Iyad Rahwan
Additional contact information
Nils Köbis: Center for Humans and Machines, Max Planck Institute for Human Development
Iyad Rahwan: Center for Humans and Machines, Max Planck Institute for Human Development

Nature Human Behaviour, 2021, vol. 5, issue 6, 679-685

Abstract: Abstract As machines powered by artificial intelligence (AI) influence humans’ behaviour in ways that are both like and unlike the ways humans influence each other, worry emerges about the corrupting power of AI agents. To estimate the empirical validity of these fears, we review the available evidence from behavioural science, human–computer interaction and AI research. We propose four main social roles through which both humans and machines can influence ethical behaviour. These are: role model, advisor, partner and delegate. When AI agents become influencers (role models or advisors), their corrupting power may not exceed the corrupting power of humans (yet). However, AI agents acting as enablers of unethical behaviour (partners or delegates) have many characteristics that may let people reap unethical benefits while feeling good about themselves, a potentially perilous interaction. On the basis of these insights, we outline a research agenda to gain behavioural insights for better AI oversight.

Date: 2021
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (12)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41562-021-01128-2 Abstract (text/html)
Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.

Related works:
Working Paper: Bad machines corrupt good morals (2023)
Working Paper: Bad machines corrupt good morals (2021)
Working Paper: Bad machines corrupt good morals (2021)
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:nat:nathum:v:5:y:2021:i:6:d:10.1038_s41562-021-01128-2

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
https://www.nature.com/nathumbehav/

DOI: 10.1038/s41562-021-01128-2

Access Statistics for this article

Nature Human Behaviour is currently edited by Stavroula Kousta

More articles in Nature Human Behaviour from Nature
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().