Feeling Automated Report Launch: Ethical Development of Emotional & Interactive AI Systems

We are glad to share that The Pranava Institute has officially launched the project report on, Feeling Automated: Ethical Development of Emotional & Interactive AI Systems, followed by a thoughtful panel discussion featuring experts across law, technology, psychology, and education.

We extend a huge congratulations to Sriya Sridhar, Research Fellow at TPI and author of the report, for leading this timely and deeply important research.

Artificial Intelligence is transforming how we communicate, relate, and seek emotional support. As AI systems increasingly simulate empathy and human-like interaction, urgent questions arise about ethics, safety, and governance.

“Feeling Automated” explores the ethical development of emotional and interactive AI systems, often referred to as Social AI, including AI companions, conversational agents, and general-purpose tools used in affective or emotionally responsive contexts. 

The Feeling Automated project explores the legal and societal dimensions of the increasing use of Social AI systems (i.e, human-mimicking AI systems, which emulate empathy), and exploreS:

(i) the risks and harms of these technologies,

(ii) the need for  policy action, and

(iii) the shape that regulation can take.

About the Research

This report is the result of more than six months of research into Social AI use and its societal implications. The project is grounded in:

• An extensive literature review spanning technology, law, and social science.

• Multi-stakeholder consultations with law and policy professionals, academics, psychologists, founders, user researchers, computer scientists, and experts on digital well-being.

• Independent testing of selected Social AI systems, using user personas developed in consultation with psychologists (see Appendix 1 in the report for the testing methodology).

• Interdisciplinary analysis that informs actionable policy and design recommendations.

  
  

While the work is anchored in law and policy, the report is intentionally built to support broader conversations, connecting research, design practice, technical standards, and societal interventions in ways that can move the field toward safer systems.

An Interdisciplinary Panel

Alongside the report launch, we were honoured to host an exceptional panel whose insights enriched the discussion and helped unpack complex social and policy challenges emerging from Social AI systems:

• Jeannie Marie Paterson, Professor of Consumer Protection and Technology Law and Co-founding Director, Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Digital Ethics (CAIDE), University of Melbourne

• Renwen Zhang, Assistant Professor, Nanyang Technological University

• Nomisha Kurian, Assistant Professor, Department of Education Studies, University of Warwick

• Banita Singh, Psychologist and Founder, Your Human Side

  
  

Key Insights From the Discussion

Some key insights from the discussion included:

• The growing emotional reliance on AI systems and the need to better understand long-term societal impacts.

• The importance of addressing subtle harms such as emotional dependency, manipulation, and anthropomorphic design.

• Emerging concerns around child safety and how AI relationships are being shaped at formative stages of development.

• The limits of AI in therapeutic contexts and why human presence remains central to meaningful emotional support.

• The need for collaborative approaches across policy, design, psychology, and technical communities to build safer systems.

  
  

At TPI, our work continues to focus on understanding how technology interacts with society, and how research, policy, and design can collectively shape responsible technological futures grounded in human flourishing.

We are grateful to our panelists, participants, and everyone who joined us for the launch and discussion.

We also warmly invite readers to share feedback on the report and help amplify these findings across networks where they can inform better decisions, stronger safeguards, and more responsible innovation.

Yo can read the report and watch the launch panel recording on the project page.

Visit the project page: https://www.pranavainstitute.com/feelingautomated