An Abstract Human-Centric Framework for Ethical Task-Automation Decisions

Abstract

New technology enabling previously unfeasible automation processes creates potential issues for those who once conducted said tasks. By reducing the resources taken to perform costly operations, businesses and organizations can potentially create substantial savings, increasing profitability by re-evaluating resources and their necessity. This shift towards automation exposes a vital issue; Where do displaced humans fit in the post-automation regime? This work proposes a new approach to this problem - an abstract framework for human-centric automation based on virtue ethics and system theory principles. Exploring the role of human agents within complex systems reveals an argument for the necessity of a human-centric approach to automation. By proposing a preliminary framework to enforce a set of mutually agreed-upon fundamental rights for workers and stakeholders, the resulting system can implement ethical treatment for all individuals within a system. The work concludes with a dialogue on the implications and applications of the proposed model with possible future extensions.