International Journal of Swarm Intelligence and Evolutionary Computation

Abstract

Navigating the Ethical Labyrinth of Swarm AI: Autonomy, Responsibility, and the Spectre of Unintended Consequences

Nadeem Shah

The increasing sophistication and potential impact of both Swarm Intelligence and Artificial Intelligence inevitably bring forth a complex web of ethical considerations, particularly as these two powerful fields converge to create increasingly autonomous and intelligent systems. The inherent decentralization and autonomy of SI agents, when coupled with the advanced decision-making capabilities of AI, can lead to intricate scenarios where the traditional notions of responsibility and accountability become significantly blurred. If a large-scale swarm of AI-powered robots, operating under SI principles to achieve a complex task, makes a decision that results in harm or unintended negative consequences, the question of who is accountable becomes profoundly challenging. 

Published Date: 2025-03-14; Received Date: 2025-02-12