The rise of Generative AI in recent years has, not surprisingly, been met with an outpouring of philosophical work. Such work covers all manner of philosophical inquiry, including asking whether AI is (or ever can be) conscious, how AI enhances and/or threatens our epistemic endeavours, and what the ethical implications are of this new technology being in the workplace, in healthcare, and in the home. This workshop aims to explore the growing category of generative AI systems designed to serve as conversational partners, emotional supports, even friends and romantic partners. In foregrounding ‘Social AI’, we aim to deepen the philosophical understanding of how we relate to AI, as well as the various techno-social benefits and harms that might flow from these interactions.
Provisional timetable (in UK time)
Tuesday 10th February
10.00–10.50: Pii Telakivi – Remembering with AI
10.50–11.00: Break
11.00–11.50: Kris Goffin – Normative Chatbot Fictionalism
11.50–12.00: Break
12.00–12.50: Shahd Omar - Being-With the Artificial Other: An Existential-Phenomenological Exploration of Romantic Love with AI Chatbots
12.50–2.00: Lunch
2.00–2.50: Kesavan Thenagopal - Generative AI Chatbot: My Psychopathic Companion?
2.50-3.00: Break
3.00-3.50: Michael Randall Barnes & Mercedes Corredor - When Porn Doesn’t Speak: Understanding AI-Assisted Sex Work
3.50-4.00: Break
4.00-4.50: Ben White – Existential Atrophy
Wednesday 11th February
10.00–10.50: Rob Clowes - The Ontology and Mode of Existence of Companion GenAI
10.50-11.00: Break
11.00–11.50: Leda Berio - Stories of Empathy: Chatbots, Identity-Building, and Affective Interactions
11.50-12.00 Break
12.00–12.50: Allister Lee - Sycophantic AI, Simulating Empathy, and Self-Distortion: Applying Edith Stein's Reiteration of Empathy
12.50–2.00: Lunch
2.00–2.50: Àger Pérez Casanovas - Beyond Regulation: Responsibility and Ignorance in Narrow Conversational AI for Anorexia Nervosa
2.50–3.00: Break
3.00–4.30: Exeter Panel (Lucy Osler, Joel Krueger, Tom Roberts, Shane Glackin)
A huge thank you to The Society of Applied Philosophy for funding this workshop. It would not have been possible to run this event without their generous support.
