Ethox Seminar – The ethics of voice-based conversational agents for people with dementia
Abstract
With growing utilisation of digital health technologies for the prevention and management of dementia, this presentation will delve into the ethics of using voice assistants powered by large language models (LLMs), within dementia care. The first part of the presentation will introduce value sensitive designs, complemented by the Ethics by Design for AI framework, to discuss the key principles and ethical considerations for development of such technologies. Secondly, I will introduce our prototype, GRACE, an LLM-based voice assistant that leverages elements of cognitive stimulation therapy to provide cognitive interventions. The aim of GRACE is to help individuals with dementia maintain independence and enable aging-in-place, and thus also improve their quality of life. To conclude, I will present results from two pilot studies conducted with GRACE, among (a) healthy younger adults, and (b) healthy older adults. These pilot studies provide an insight to perceived ethical values and considerations by study participants, and a use-case of how ethical frameworks can be applied to new technologies.

Joining link: medsci.zoom.us/j/91784291038
Date: 5 November 2024, 14:00 (Tuesday, 4th week, Michaelmas 2024)
Venue: Big Data Institute, Old Road Campus OX3 7LF
Venue Details: Big Data Institute Lower Ground Seminar Room 0 and on Zoom
Speaker: Rasita Vinay (University of Zurich)
Organising department: Ethox Centre
Organiser: Aileen Mooney (University of Oxford)
Organiser contact email address: admin@ethox.ox.ac.uk
Part of: Ethox Centre Seminars
Booking required?: Not required
Audience: Public
Editors: Aileen Mooney, Isaac Cheng