“Re-Imaging AI as a Fundamental Ethical Imperative”

“Re-Imaging AI as a Fundamental Ethical Imperative”. On the Aesthetics of Form and the Ethics of Function.

Deadline: December 31, 2026

SPECIAL ISSUE EDITORS: Prof.ssa Fabrizia Abbate (University of Molise), Prof. Piero Dominici (University of Perugia), Dr. Andrea Nicolini (University of Florence).

Title: "Re-Imaging AI as a Fundamental Ethical Imperative”. On the Aesthetics of Form and the Ethics of Function…

Artificial intelligence (AI) ethics is currently one of the most dynamic and complex areas of contemporary discourse, situated at the intersection of philosophy, technology, law and social sciences. As AI expands into increasingly sensitive areas, there is a need for a thorough examination of the principles of responsibility, transparency, fairness, social impact and aesthetic value.
The regulations that Europe has adopted reaffirm a human-centred vision of technological development. However, the legal debate on the regulation and protection of new technological discoveries and applications is ongoing, as the ethical debate on the purpose of these devices and democratic access to new avenues of progress. Finally, there is the question of how AI is perceived and adapted, and the social acceptance of AI systems and robotics. What has become of the 'form–function' dichotomy?
We use the term 're-imaging' to describe the process of thinking about how imagination interacts with AI. This involves understanding, assimilating and reformulating imagination.
In an artistic context, AI has introduced new forms of computational creativity that challenge traditional ideas about authorship and originality, from painting and writing to techno music. Generative systems based on deep learning models, for example, are remarkably capable of producing images, music and texts that mimic or rework existing styles. This raises significant aesthetic and ethical questions. There is also a risk of cultural homogenisation, whereby models trained on large amounts of data tend to reproduce dominant aesthetic biases and marginalise minority or alternative styles.
In the field of gamification, AI is used to influence behaviour, boost engagement and customise the user experience. Through adaptive systems, platforms can optimise reward dynamics by leveraging aesthetic and psychological mechanisms, such as variable reinforcement. While this can have positive applications, such as in education or promoting healthy behaviours, there is an ethical line between persuasion and manipulation. Intensive use of behavioural data to shape interactions can lead to opaque 'nudging', where users are not fully aware of the strategies employed to influence them.
In the healthcare sector, a form of 'friendly imagination' that combines aesthetics and pleasure is evident in all new personalised medical biotechnologies. Consider, for example, the user-friendly software used to monitor conditions via smartphone, the colourful sensor patches for the arms that match the colour of one’s clothing, and the marketing that reassures users with the message 'Just click, download, and accept'. The immediate utility and aesthetic appeal of these tools overshadow their medical nature and more critical ethical implications. The reliability of the systems, the presence of bias and the depersonalisation of data are just some of the issues at stake.
AI is not a neutral technology. In this respect, it inherits the lack of neutrality inherent in the relationship between form and function.

The editors welcome contributions offering critical, theoretical or practical perspectives on the proposed topics. The aim is to foster an interdisciplinary dialogue on the aesthetic and ethical implications of artificial intelligence.

Topics may include, but are not limited to, issues related to:
Ethics and Responsibility: in the Form or Function of AI?
AI as a Tool for Artistic Innovation and Critique
The Ethical Implications of Dataset Usage in Artistic AI
Gamification, Digital Nudging and Behavioural Manipulation
Engagement, Addiction and Ethical Platform Design
AI and Medical Biotechnology: Development of Forms, Awareness of Functions
Personalisation and User Autonomy in Digital Platforms
Non-Western and Pluralistic Ethical Frameworks for the Aesthetic Development of Artificial Intelligence

SUBMISSIONS MUST CONFORM TO THE INSTRUCTIONS SET OUT BELOW.

PLEASE READ CAREFULLY.

All editorial matters (not submitted articles!) should be addressed to:

Fabrizio Desideri (Editor): fabrizio.desideri@unifi.it Marina Montanelli (Editorial Secretariat): marina.montanelli@unifi.it

Articles should be submitted using the online submission system. They should be in .doc or .docx format, A4, paginated, double spaced throughout (i.e. including references and quotations), with ample margins. They should be formatted for blind review, not normally exceed 7,500 words and should include an abstract of no more than 150 words and five keywords (in English). Tables and illustrations should be submitted to the online submission system in separate files to the main manuscript. Please