The Centre for Philosophy and AI Research PAIR (University of Erlangen-Nuremberg), the Institute of Philosophy (Chinese Academy of Sciences), and Northeastern University - London are organising an online workshop on Agentic AI.
Workshop dates: November 21st and 28th, 2025
Overview: Agentic AI are AI systems that can function autonomously for some time, making decisions and performing tasks without human intervention. They use natural language to plan and execute complex actions for human users (Gabriel et al.). Unlike previous systems such as Alexa and Siri, these advanced assistants coordinate multi-step tasks. For instance, they might book a complete trip across three countries -- arranging flights, reserving hotels, and organising transportation between cities. Some early versions of such assistants already exist, including OpenAI’s Assistants API, Meta AI, Anthropic's Claude Code, Microsoft's Copilot, and Inflection's Pi. Agentic AI are being developed to serve as personal planners, educational tutors, brainstorming partners, scientific research assistants, relationship counsellors, and even companions. As researchers develop these systems to become more sophisticated at planning and executing actions that align with human goals, we are entering a new phase of increased dependence on machines.
We welcome abstracts that address philosophical questions related to agentic AI. Topics include, but are not limited to:
- What is agentic AI? What capabilities would such systems have?
- How should we align agentic AI, and what should guide this process (our values, preferences, or other standards)?
- Should we keep certain tasks off-limits to agentic AI? What principles should guide such decisions?
- What safety concerns should we prioritise, particularly when we consider vulnerable populations who might be easily manipulated?
- How should we interact and collaborate with agentic AI?
- What fundamental principles should guide the design of such systems?
Call for Abstracts:
- Deadline: September 25, 2025 (midnight anywhere in the world)
- Submit an anonymous abstract of no more than 500 words (excluding references)
- In a separate file send the author name(s), affiliation(s), and contact information
- Send submissions and inquiries to hadeel.naeem(at)fau.de
- Selected presentations will receive 45-minute slots (30 minutes to present + 15 minutes for discussion)
We look forward to your submissions.
Best,
Hadeel Naeem, Qiantong Wu, Alice Helliwell, and Julian Hauser