Fully Autonomous AI Agents Should Not be Developed
Artificial Intelligence
2025-10-21 v3
Abstract
This paper argues that fully autonomous AI agents should not be developed. In support of this position, we build from prior scientific literature and current product marketing to delineate different AI agent levels and detail the ethical values at play in each, documenting trade-offs in potential benefits and risks. Our analysis reveals that risks to people increase with the autonomy of a system: The more control a user cedes to an AI agent, the more risks to people arise. Particularly concerning are safety risks, which affect human life and impact further values.
Cite
@article{arxiv.2502.02649,
title = {Fully Autonomous AI Agents Should Not be Developed},
author = {Margaret Mitchell and Avijit Ghosh and Alexandra Sasha Luccioni and Giada Pistilli},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2502.02649},
year = {2025}
}