Keith Miller

University of Missouri–St. Louis, University of Illinois at Springfield

Papers

Total Citations

H-Index

About

Keith Miller is a leading voice in the ethics of emerging technologies, with a particular focus on the moral responsibilities of roboticists and the societal risks posed by artificial agents. His most influential work, “This ‘Ethical Trap’ Is for Roboticists, Not Robots” (2016, 22 citations), makes a crucial contribution by reframing the debate on machine ethics: Miller argues that the burden of ethical decision-making lies squarely with human designers, not the artificial agents themselves. This paper has become a touchstone for researchers grappling with accountability in autonomous systems. In his earlier work, “Robots and the Internet: Causes for Concern” (2013, 4 citations), Miller presciently examined how networked robotics amplify vulnerabilities to misuse, drawing parallels to biological security threats. While his citation counts reflect a focused, emerging field, the conceptual impact of his work is substantial—his “ethical trap” framing is now widely referenced in discussions of AI governance and responsible innovation. Miller’s research consistently challenges technologists to confront uncomfortable questions about control, foresight, and the limits of machine autonomy, making him an essential thinker for students and scholars navigating the intersection of robotics, cybersecurity, and ethics.