2 - Autonomy

Summary

The increasing autonomy of AI systems is exposing gaps in regulatory regimes that assume the centrality of human actors. Yet surprisingly little attention is given to what is meant by ‘autonomy’ and its relationship to those gaps. Driverless vehicles and autonomous weapon systems are the most widely studied examples, but related issues arise in algorithms that allocate resources or determine eligibility for programmes in the private or public sector. This chapter develops a novel typology that distinguishes three lenses through which to view the regulatory issues raised by autonomy: the practical difficulties of managing risk associated with new technologies, the morality of certain functions being undertaken by machines at all, and the legitimacy gap that is created when public authorities delegate their powers to algorithms.