Frances S. Grodzinsky

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About

Frances S. Grodzinsky is a leading scholar in computer ethics, with a particular focus on the moral status of artificial agents and the ethical implications of human-robot interaction. Her work critically examines the boundaries between human and machine morality, challenging the notion that robots can be held ethically accountable for their actions. In her highly cited 2016 paper, “This ‘Ethical Trap’ Is for Roboticists, Not Robots,” she argues that attributing moral agency to machines is a dangerous fallacy that distracts from the responsibilities of human designers and users. Earlier, in “Behind the Mask: Machine Morality,” Grodzinsky explored how robots that masquerade as humans raise profound ethical concerns, drawing on Floridi’s information ethics to analyze the potential for artificial evil. Her more recent work, such as the 2019 study on hitchBOT, applies a social-relational model to understand how humans form moral bonds with autonomous systems. With over 30 citations across her most influential papers, Grodzinsky’s research has shaped debates in roboethics, emphasizing that the ethical burden lies with humans, not machines. Her contributions are essential reading for anyone interested in the responsible design and deployment of artificial intelligence.