Robophilosophy, AI ethics, and Datafication

The RADAR group is an interdisciplinary group of researchers interested in philosophy of technology and the effects of new technologies to human societies and human social practices. In particular, we are interested in developments in robotics, artificial intelligence, and machine learning, and the related phenomena of automation, datafication and digitalization. Our approach is mainly philosophical: We focus on the conceptual, metaphysical, and ethical questions stemming from these phenomena. In addition, we participate in interdisciplinary projects that develop social robotics applications and study the psychology of human-robot interaction.

May 2026: RADAR participates in a new interdisciplinary project Q-GEN which receives funding from Business Finland. The Q-GEN project studies the use of quantum computing in life sciences, for instance in breeding and the development of biomaterials. It is lead by the Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), and the partners are Aalto University, VTT, and the University of Helsinki. Our team, consisting of philosophers, legal scholars, and sociologists, brings into the project the perspective of SSH fields with a focus on the ethical issues, regulation, and social acceptability of the quantum and biotechnologies employed and developed in the project. 

The main research question of the work package is: How to build and utilize quantum enhanced bioeconomy applications in a responsible, transparent, and trustworthy way? 

The main objectives of the WP are:

• to coordinate ethical co-creation throughout the project,
• to integrate the research with existing and emerging regulatory frameworks, and
• to raise awareness of the new technologies and facilitate the social relevance of the project.

The project's timeline is three years, from 30.9.2026 to 31.8.2029, with a possible continuation for two years.

Read more about the project here: .

RADAR member Kamil Mamak has received the ERC Starting Grant for the project "Philosophical Foundations of Criminal Law in the Age of Robots." The project will run for five years and focus on philosophical, ethical, and legal issues related to AI and Robots and will build a philosophical ground for criminal law that accommodates robots.

Despite their (generally) benign objectives, robots may promote harmful outcomes that are under the radar of criminal law. The project should ask the question, “How can the philosophical foundations of criminal law be reconstructed to accommodate robots?” instead of " How can robots be accommodated into criminal law?” which is the usual formulation way of responding to harms related to robots.

The project has three main goals

• answer the question of what robots, from the perspective of criminal law, are
• introduce and defend the phenomenological account of criminal law
• develop models of criminal law institutions for robots.

The project aims to have societal consequences by preparing the ground for the smooth cooperation of humans with robots.

Read more about the project: