Responsibility Gap in Autonomous Artificial Intelligence Systems: Reframing the Sparrow–Swoboda Debate through Verbeek’s Approach

The emergence of autonomous artificial intelligence-based systems has introduced new challenges to the attribution of ethical responsibility, as in these systems ethical consequences do not result from the decision of a single human agent but rather emerge from the interaction among humans, algorithms, data, and technological environments. The concept of the “responsibility gap” represents one of the most significant formulations of this challenge, referring to the difficulty of identifying the responsible agent under conditions of reduced control and predictability in autonomous systems. In this context, the debate between Robert Sparrow and Torben Swoboda reflects two different approaches: Sparrow, emphasizing the lack of sufficient conditions for responsibility attribution, argues for the possibility of a responsibility gap. In contrast, Swoboda, by redefining the criteria of control and predictability, argues for the possibility of preserving human responsibility. Employing conceptual analysis and comparative examination, this study reconsiders the conceptual foundations of the Sparrow–Swoboda debate based on the perspectives of Peter Verbeek. The findings indicate that, despite their different conclusions, Sparrow and Swoboda’s disagreement is grounded in shared assumptions concerning the separation of humans and technology, the instrumental view of technology, and a linear model of the relationship between action and outcome. From Verbeek’s perspective, these assumptions overlook the role of technology in shaping perception, decision-making, and possibilities for action. Therefore, the responsibility gap cannot be regarded merely as a problem of finding or failing to find a specific human agent; rather, it should be reconsidered within the framework of human–technology relations and the concept of “mediated responsibility.” This reframing does not attribute ethical responsibility to technology itself; instead, it emphasizes the necessity of understanding responsibility within a network of human and technological relations.

کلیدواژه ها:

Responsibility Gap ، artificial intelligence ، Autonomous Systems ، Technological Mediation ، Mediated Responsibility