Regulating autonomy : ethics, values and governance in artificial intelligence / Daniel López-Castro, Manuel Cebral-Loureda, Pablo Jiménez-Schlegl, editors

Format:

Book

Contributor:

López-Castro, Daniel, editor.

Cebral-Loureda, Manuel, editor.

Jiménez-Schlegl, Pablo, editor.

Series:

Law, governance and technology series ; v. 81.

Law, governance and technology series, 2352-1910 ; volume 81

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Artificial intelligence--Moral and ethical aspects.

Artificial intelligence.

Artificial intelligence--Law and legislation.

Robotics--Moral and ethical aspects.

Robotics.

Robotics--Law and legislation.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (xiv, 482 pages) : illustrations

Place of Publication:

Cham, Switzerland : Springer, [2026]

Summary:

"This book offers an interdisciplinary overview of autonomy in artificial intelligence and robotics, positioning it as the central concept in the contemporary debate on AI's societal integration. The term itself is dangerously ambiguous: its meaning shifts dramatically when applied to a machine versus a human. While there is consensus on machine agency (the capacity to act), attributing autonomy in the rich, normative sense we attribute it to humans is a far more controversial and complex assertion. This volume moves beyond isolated systems to consider hybrid human-machine autonomy, a space where AI's capabilities intersect with human agency. Autonomy is therefore explored not just as a technical attribute, but as a relational concept that redefines a user's capacity for self-governance in contexts of shared decision-making, assistive technology, and human augmentation. This central tension requires a broader approach to governance. The book argues that effective "regulation" is not merely law, but a wider domain for reflection, and that technology itself is a powerful regulatory force that must be shaped by a nuanced understanding of ethics, agency, values, and law. This book confronts this challenge through a comprehensive, four-part structure. It begins with the Ethical Dimension, examining foundational questions and the profound social and educational implications of AI. It then moves to the Agential Dimension, focusing on embodied AI, robotics, and assistive healthcare. The third section, the Axiological Dimension, interrogates the popular concept of "value alignment," moving beyond its common technical framing to advance new approaches for embedding values in hybrid systems. Finally, the Regulatory Dimension provides a practical analysis of governance, legal frameworks like the EU AI Act, and complex applications from finance to autonomous weapons. This book will be of interest to researchers in AI, robotics, philosophy, law, and education, especially those in interdisciplinary settings. It is also essential reading for policymakers and private-sector professionals seeking to design and govern systems where the coordination of human and artificial agents is paramount"-- Springer Nature Link

Contents:

Regulating autonomy : A conceptual introduction / Daniel López-Castro, Pablo Jiménez-Schlegl, and Manuel Cebral-Loureda

AI ontological freedom (as a limit for its regulation) / Manuel Cebral-Loureda

The concept of co-action : Its roots and its place in the philosophy of technology / Florian Richter

“AI, or am I?” : Is child development lagging behind the development of artificial intelligence? / Gerardo Castañeda-Garza and Hector G. Ceballos

Ethical challenges in educational interventions driven by artificial intelligence / Hector G. Ceballos, Juan Andrés Talamás-Carvajal, and Francisco J. Cantú-Ortíz

If generative artificial intelligence is the answer, then what’s the question? On the social consequences of generative AI / Sabur Butt and Hector G. Ceballos

Embodiment and appearance : Robot bodies and human responses / Pablo Jiménez-Schlegl

Ethics of care, relational autonomy, and assistive robots / Belén Liedo

Robot ethics : Assessing risk from the perspective of autonomy / Pablo Jiménez-Schlegl, Júlia Pareto, and Carme Torras

AI agents for health—Agency and autonomy in AI-driven healthcare / Aníbal M. Astobiza, Ramón Ortega Lozano, Marcos Alonso, and Jorge Linares

Exploring ‘value alignment’ : A genealogy and three conceptions / Daniel López-Castro

Towards an axiology of intelligent hybrid systems / Mario Toboso-Martín

Four settings and a proposal for the exploration of value alignment in AI / Pablo Noriega and Enric Plaza

Instilling organisational values in firefighters through simulation-based training / Nardine Osman, Manel Rodriguez-Soto, and Jordi Sabater-Mir

What is the ecological value of AI used for environmental purposes and to what extent is it ethical? / Cristian Moyano-Fernández

Governance of artificial agency and AI value chains : A few remarks on autonomy from a legal and ethical approach / Pompeu Casanovas and Pablo Noriega

The European Union artificial intelligence act : Ethical principles and the regulation of AI for social welfare and development / Sergio Bárcena and José Said Arellano-Sabag

Repurposing lethal autonomous weapons systems for disarmament / Sara Degli-Esposti

Advancing responsible AI : An analysis of guidelines, regulations, and standards for trustworthy and responsible AI / Leobardo Morales-Tiburcio, Miguel González-Mendoza, Gilberto Ochoa-Ruiz, and Hector G. Ceballos

AI and financial inclusion in Mexico : A challenging relation / Ignacio Ibarra-López and Camila Mariel Moreno-Alvarado

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references

Online resource; title from PDF title page (Springer Nature Link, viewed April 28, 2026)

Other Format:

Print version: Regulating autonomy

ISBN:

9783032130631

3032130638

OCLC:

1586341750

Access Restriction:

Restricted for use by site license