Soltanzadeh Sadjad
University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
AI Soc. 2025;40(3):1723-1734. doi: 10.1007/s00146-024-01941-z. Epub 2024 Apr 21.
The way in which agency is conceptualised has implications for understanding human-machine interactions and the governance of technology, especially artificial intelligence (AI) systems. Traditionally, agency is conceptualised as a capacity, defined by intrinsic properties, such as cognitive or volitional facilities. I argue that the capacity-based account of agency is inadequate to explain the dynamics of human-machine interactions and guide technology governance. Instead, I propose to conceptualise agency as impact. Agents as impactful entities can be identified at different : from the low level of individual entities to the high level of complex socio-technical systems. Entities can impact their surroundings through different , and more influential channels of impact lead to higher of agency. Technology governance must take into account different channels of impact in the contexts of use, design and regulation.
对能动性的概念化方式对于理解人机交互以及技术治理，尤其是人工智能（AI）系统的治理具有重要意义。传统上，能动性被概念化为一种能力，由诸如认知或意志能力等内在属性所定义。我认为，基于能力的能动性解释不足以说明人机交互的动态过程并指导技术治理。相反，我建议将能动性概念化为影响力。作为有影响力的实体的主体可以在不同层面被识别：从个体实体的低层面到复杂社会技术系统的高层面。实体可以通过不同的、更具影响力的渠道影响其周围环境，而更具影响力的影响渠道会导致更高的能动性程度。技术治理必须在使用、设计和监管的背景下考虑不同的影响渠道。
