AI, Opacity, and Personal Autonomy

Advancements in machine learning have fuelled the popularity of using AI decision algorithms procedures such as bail hearings (Feller et al. 2016), medical diagnoses (Rajkomar 2018; Esteva 2019) and recruitment (Heilweil 2019, Van Esch 2019). Academic articles (Floridi 2018), policy texts (HLEG 2019), popularizing books (O'Neill 2016, Eubanks 2018) alike warn that tend to be _opaque_: they do not provide explanations for their outcomes. Building on a causal account transparency opacity well recent work value explanation (Lombrozo 2011, Hitchcock 2012), I formulate moral concern opaque is yet receive systematic treatment literature: when are used life-changing decisions, can obstruct us from effectively shaping our lives according goals preferences, thus undermining autonomy. argue this deserves closer attention it furnishes call algorithmic decision-making with both new tools challenges.