Driverless cars, service robots, surveillance drones, computer networks collecting data, and autonomous weapons are just a few examples of increasingly intelligent technologies scientists are developing. As they progress, researchers face a series of questions about whether these machines can be designed and engineered to take morally significant actions previously reserved for human actors. Can they ensure that artificially intelligent systems will always be demonstrably beneficial, safe, controllable, and sensitive to human values? Many individuals and groups have begun tackling the various subprojects entailed in this challenge. They are, however, often unaware of efforts in complementary fields. Thus they lose opportunities for creative collaboration, miss gaps in their own research, and reproduce work being performed by potential colleagues. The Hastings Center proposes to convene a series of three solution-directed workshops with national and international experts in the various pertinent fields. Together they will develop collaborative strategies and research projects, and forge an outline for a comprehensive plan to insure autonomous systems will be demonstrably beneficial, and that this innovative research progresses in a responsible manner. The results of the workshop will be conveyed through a special report, a dedicated edition of a scholarly journal, and two public symposia.

The vast array of challenges entailed in designing, engineering, and implementing demonstrably beneficial, safe and controllable AI systems are slowly being addressed by scholars working on distinct research trajectories across many disciplines. They are often unaware of efforts in complementary fields, thus losing opportunities for creative synergies, missing gaps in their own research, and reproducing the work of potential colleagues. The Hastings Center proposes to convene a series of three solution-directed workshops with national and international experts in the varied fields. Together they will address trans-disciplinary questions, develop collaborative strategies and research projects, and forge an outline for a comprehensive plan encompassing the many elements of ensuring autonomous systems will be demonstrably beneficial, and that this innovative research progresses in a responsible manner. The workshops’ research and policy agenda will be published as a Special Report of the journal Hastings Center Report and in short form in a science or engineering journal. Findings will also be presented through two public symposia, one of which will be webcast and available on demand. We anticipate significant progress given the high caliber of the people who are excited by this project and have already committed to join our workshops.