A study of 1,225 volunteers who were asked to participate in computerized experiments found that when volunteers programmed self-driving cars, they were more likely to make unselfish decisions that favored the collective interest than if they drove the cars themselves; the findings suggest that programming autonomous machines increases the motivation for cooperation by making short-term, self-serving rewards less salient.
Article #18-17656: "Human Cooperation When Acting Through Autonomous Machines," by Celso M. de Melo et al.
MEDIA CONTACT: Celso M. de Melo, US Army Research Laboratory, Playa Vista, CA; tel: 213-400-1121; email: celso.miguel.de.melo@gmail.com
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