How Social Should AI Be?

Abstract

Social AI systems have the potential to outperform humans in certain ways—raising the question of whether we should have AI systems (including robots) replace humans in the labor market (i.e., not only in non-social contexts). This article will first put forward three sets of pro tanto reasons why social AI systems should not be implemented, then it will consider three possible situations in which these reasons may be overridden, arguing that the use of social AI is only justified in a very circumscribed set of cases. Moreover, in situations in which replacement is justified, the AI systems’ social and informational capabilities should be limited. And finally, where social AI systems are utilized, they should be made to comply with certain social codes.