The Responsible Adoption of (Highly) Automated Decision-Making Systems

Abstract

The next-generation technological era will be marked by the prevalence of highly automated decision-making systems (ADMS), which promote technological autonomy at the expense of human agency. In this paper, we examine the role and importance of socio-ethical factors in the responsible adoption of ADMS by organizations. In doing so, we draw on the unique characteristics of ADMS and leverage the literature on social responsibility to conceptualize what a responsible adoption process and a responsible adoption decision involve. The resulting framework makes a much-needed connection between technology adoption and social responsibility and offers a progressive foundation to study ADMS adoption.