Abstract
Models of individual accountability for algorithms' actions fail when a human-algorithm association comes to be viewed as a collective actor. In some situations, human and algorithmic actions are so closely intertwined that there is no longer a linear connection between the emergent collectivity and the complex interactions of humans and algorithms. In such collective decision-making sequences, individual accountability can no longer be attributed. Therefore, a new perspective on human-algorithm associations that captures their emergent properties and organizational qualities is needed to develop appropriate models of collective accountability. This article seeks to answer a number of questions. How can the encounter between humans and algorithms within such a socio-technical configuration be adequately theorized? Can the configuration itself be understood as a hybrid collectivity? Can actions be attributed to the configuration as a personified collective actor? How will accountability be institutionalized for human-algorithm associations - in centralized or distributed collective forms?
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 100-119 |
Number of pages | 20 |
Journal | Journal of Law and Society |
Volume | 50 |
Issue number | 1 |
Early online date | 1 Mar 2023 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 15 Mar 2023 |
Keywords
- organization
- agency
- robots
- AI