From decision aiding to the massive use of algorithms: where does the responsibility stand?

TL;DR

This paper analyzes human responsibility in algorithm use, highlighting ethical challenges and the evolving limits of responsibility as algorithms become more widespread and used by unprofessional users.

Contribution

It offers an analysis of responsibility boundaries in algorithm deployment, emphasizing the limitations of human control and the impact of widespread, unprofessional usage.

Findings

Algorithms are designed by humans who bear responsibility.

Full responsibility is limited due to the complexity of use and consequences.

Widespread use by unprofessional users raises new ethical questions.

Abstract

In the very large debates on ethics of algorithms, this paper proposes an analysis on human responsibility. On one hand, algorithms are designed by some humans, who bear a part of responsibility in the results and unexpected impacts. Nevertheless, we show how the fact they cannot embrace the full situations of use and consequences lead to an unreachable limit. On the other hand, using technology is never free of responsibility, even if there also exist limits to characterise. Massive uses by unprofessional users introduce additional questions that modify the possibilities to be ethically responsible. The article is structured in such a way as to show how the limits have gradually evolved, leaving unthought of issues and a failure to share responsibility.