Journal Article

From automation to autonomy: Human machine relations in the age of artificial intelligence

Caja Thimm, Frank Piller, Gabriele Gramelsberger, Maximilian Mayer

2024

Overview

The shift from automation to autonomy marks a new chapter in human-machine relations, especially in the context of the expanding and diversifying applications of Artificial Intelligence (AI). As machines gain capabilities that resemble autonomous agency, the boundary between human and machine autonomy blurs, challenging traditional concepts of agency, control, and independence. This special issue examines the multidisciplinary perspectives on autonomy in the digital age, addressing the complexities of attributing autonomy to machines and AI systems. Philosophical, sociological, and technical approaches converge to explore how emerging forms of machine autonomy impacts human agency, freedom, and decision-making, with applications spanning from autonomous vehicles to digital assistants and military drones. Central to this discourse is the growing tension between viewing autonomy as a positive attribute and the concerns about diminishing human authority in the face of increasingly independent technologies. By framing autonomy as a gradual, relational, and attributional concept, the essays of this special issue aim to foster an integrated understanding of autonomy as both an individual and collective construct, reflecting the highly complex and quickly evolving nature of current societal, ethical, and technological challenges. Through contributions from diverse fields, the issue offers theoretical insights and empirical findings to better understand how AI systems reshape human-machine interactions and redefine autonomy within modern sociotechnical landscapes.

• Publisher: Communication and Social Robotics Labs
• Subject: Artificial intelligence / Human-machine systems / Perspective / Philosophy / Social aspects