AI-based decision support systems and society: An opening statement

Abstract

Although artificial intelligence (AI) and automated deci-sion-making systems have been around for some time, they have only recently gained in importance as they are now actually being used and are no longer just the subject of research. AI to support decision-mak-ing is thus affecting ever larger parts of society, creating technical, but above all ethical, legal, and societal challenges, as decisions can now be made by machines that were previously the responsibility of hu-mans. This introduction provides an overview of attempts to regulate AI and addresses key challenges that arise when integrating AI systems into human decision-making. The Special topic brings together research articles that present societal challenges, ethical issues, stake-holders, and possible futures of AI use for decision support in health-care, the legal system, and border control.