The Ethics of Artificially Intelligent Sexbots : A Philosophical Investigation into the Ethical Conditions for Human-Sexbot Interaction

Discussion surrounding the development of artificial intelligence (AI), and its moral and social impacts, is one of the most important conversations of our time. Research within the ethics of AI is vital in ensuring that AI is developed and utilised in such a way that it remains beneficial to society. AI technology is utilised in various ways. This dissertation, however, focuses upon the use of AI technology in the form of sex robots (‘sexbots’). Although research on sexbots within the context of AI and human-robot interaction (HRI) is gaining momentum, there is space for much more work to be done. Where a lot of focus has been on the moral and social impact of sexbots upon society, there is a gap in the literature as far as putting forward ways in which we may deal with these impacts is concerned – particularly preventing negative impacts, so that sexbot technology may remain beneficial to society. As such, my research enters this relatively new debate by way of not only drawing attention to the moral and social ramifications of sexbots, but also investigating ethical conditions for our interaction with them that may ensure sexbot technology is beneficial to society. As such, this dissertation specifically conducts a philosophical investigation into the ethical conditions for human-sexbot interaction. It does so by way of investigating the moral and social problematics that may arise in relation to our interacting with sexbots in terms of what we may use them for (i.e. the various roles they may fulfill in society), as well as how we may use them (i.e. how we interact with them). Given the moral problematics that are discussed, the dissertation puts forward possible ethical conditions for human-sexbot interaction that we may consider as a way to try and ensure that sexbot technology is mainly beneficial to us as human interactants. Specifically, this dissertation emphasises that when we consider the moral and social impacts of sexbots, as well as possible ethical conditions in relation to our interaction with them so as to prevent potential moral and social harms, we must do so from an anthropocentric perspective i.e. focus on how we use sexbots, as opposed to what we use them for. This is because we should not deem sexbot technology itself to be essentially ‘good’ or ‘bad’. It is never technology itself that is good, bad, or neutral, but rather how we use it that deems it so. As such, we are the masters of our own moral fates in the context of ensuring that sexbot technology is beneficial to society.Dissertation (MPhil)--University of Pretoria, 2020.Centre for AI Research (CAIR)PhilosophyMPhilUnrestricte