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1. AI as a moral crumple zone: The effects of AI-mediated communication on attribution and trust

   https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2019.106190  

   Hohenstein, Jess ; Jung, Malte F ( May 2020 , Computers in human behavior)

   AI-mediated communication (AI-MC) represents a new paradigm where communication is augmented or generated by an intelligent system. As AI-MC becomes more prevalent, it is important to understand the effects that it has on human interactions and interpersonal relationships. Previous work tells us that in human interactions with intelligent systems, misattribution is common and trust is developed and handled differently than in interactions between humans. This study uses a 2 (successful vs. unsuccessful conversation) x 2 (standard vs. AI-mediated messaging app) between subjects design to explore whether AI mediation has any effects on attribution and trust. We show that the presence of AI-generated smart replies serves to increase perceived trust between human communicators and that, when things go awry, the AI seems to be perceived as a coercive agent, allowing it to function like a moral crumple zone and lessen the responsibility assigned to the other human communicator. These findings suggest that smart replies could be used to improve relationships and perceptions of conversational outcomes between interlocutors. Our findings also add to existing literature regarding perceived agency in smart agents by illustrating that in this type of AI-MC, the AI is considered to have agency only when communication goes awry.
2. Team Learning as a Lens for Designing Human-AI Co-Creative Systems

   https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2207.02996  

   Gmeiner, Frederic ; Holstein, Kenneth ; Martelaro, Nikolas ( July 2022 , ACM CHI 2022 Workshop on Generative AI and HCI)

   Generative, ML-driven interactive systems have the potential to change how people interact with computers in creative processes - turning tools into co-creators. However, it is still unclear how we might achieve effective human-AI collaboration in open-ended task domains. There are several known challenges around communication in the interaction with ML-driven systems. An overlooked aspect in the design of co-creative systems is how users can be better supported in learning to collaborate with such systems. Here we reframe human-AI collaboration as a learning problem: Inspired by research on team learning, we hypothesize that similar learning strategies that apply to human-human teams might also increase the collaboration effectiveness and quality of humans working with co-creative generative systems. In this position paper, we aim to promote team learning as a lens for designing more effective co-creative human-AI collaboration and emphasize collaboration process quality as a goal for co-creative systems. Furthermore, we outline a preliminary schematic framework for embedding team learning support in co-creative AI systems. We conclude by proposing a research agenda and posing open questions for further study on supporting people in learning to collaborate with generative AI systems.
3. Phage-Encoded LuxR-Type Receptors Responsive to Host-Produced Bacterial Quorum-Sensing Autoinducers

   https://doi.org/10.1128/mBio.00638-19  

   Silpe, Justin E. ; Bassler, Bonnie L. ; Søgaard-Andersen, Lotte ( April 2019 , mBio)

   ABSTRACT Quorum sensing (QS) is a process of cell-to-cell communication that bacteria use to orchestrate collective behaviors. QS relies on the cell-density-dependent production, accumulation, and receptor-mediated detection of extracellular signaling molecules called autoinducers (AIs). Gram-negative bacteria commonly use N -acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs) as their AIs, and they are detected by LuxR-type receptors. Often, LuxR-type receptors are insoluble when not bound to a cognate AI. In this report, we show that LuxR-type receptors are encoded on phage genomes, and in the cases we tested, the phage LuxR-type receptors bind to and are solubilized specifically by the AHL AI produced by the host bacterium. We do not yet know the viral activities that are controlled by these phage QS receptors; however, our observations, coupled with recent reports, suggest that their occurrence is more widespread than previously appreciated. Using receptor-mediated detection of QS AIs could enable phages to garner information concerning the population density status of their bacterial hosts. We speculate that such information can be exploited by phages to optimize the timing of execution of particular steps in viral infection. IMPORTANCE Bacteria communicate with chemical signal molecules to regulate group behaviors in a process called quorum sensing (QS). In this report,more »we find that genes encoding receptors for Gram-negative bacterial QS communication molecules are present on genomes of viruses that infect these bacteria. These viruses are called phages. We show that two phage-encoded receptors, like their bacterial counterparts, bind to the communication molecule produced by the host bacterium, suggesting that phages can “listen in” on their bacterial hosts. Interfering with bacterial QS and using phages to kill pathogenic bacteria represent attractive possibilities for development of new antimicrobials to combat pathogens that are resistant to traditional antibiotics. Our findings of interactions between phages and QS bacteria need consideration as new antimicrobial therapies are developed.« less
4. Synergy between c-di-GMP and Quorum-Sensing Signaling in Vibrio cholerae Biofilm Morphogenesis

   https://doi.org/10.1128/jb.00249-22  

   Prentice, Jojo A. ; Bridges, Andrew A. ; Bassler, Bonnie L. ( January 2022 , Journal of Bacteriology)

   O’Toole, George (Ed.)

   ABSTRACT Transitions between individual and communal lifestyles allow bacteria to adapt to changing environments. Bacteria must integrate information encoded in multiple sensory cues to appropriately undertake these transitions. Here, we investigate how two prevalent sensory inputs converge on biofilm morphogenesis: quorum sensing, which endows bacteria with the ability to communicate and coordinate group behaviors, and second messenger c-di-GMP signaling, which allows bacteria to detect and respond to environmental stimuli. We use Vibrio cholerae as our model system, the autoinducer AI-2 to modulate quorum sensing, and the polyamine norspermidine to modulate NspS-MbaA-mediated c-di-GMP production. Individually, AI-2 and norspermidine drive opposing biofilm phenotypes, with AI-2 repressing and norspermidine inducing biofilm formation. Surprisingly, however, when AI-2 and norspermidine are simultaneously detected, they act synergistically to increase biofilm biomass and biofilm cell density. We show that this effect is caused by quorum-sensing-mediated activation of nspS - mbaA expression, which increases the levels of NspS and MbaA, and in turn, c-di-GMP biosynthesis, in response to norspermidine. Increased MbaA-synthesized c-di-GMP activates the VpsR transcription factor, driving elevated expression of genes encoding key biofilm matrix components. Thus, in the context of biofilm morphogenesis in V. cholerae, quorum-sensing regulation of c-di-GMP-metabolizing receptor levels connects changes in cell populationmore »density to detection of environmental stimuli. IMPORTANCE The development of multicellular communities, known as biofilms, facilitates beneficial functions of gut microbiome bacteria and makes bacterial pathogens recalcitrant to treatment. Understanding how bacteria regulate the biofilm life cycle is fundamental to biofilm control in industrial processes and in medicine. Here, we demonstrate how two major sensory inputs—quorum-sensing communication and second messenger c-di-GMP signaling—jointly regulate biofilm morphogenesis in the global pathogen Vibrio cholerae. We characterize the mechanism underlying a surprising synergy between quorum-sensing and c-di-GMP signaling in controlling biofilm development. Thus, the work connects changes in cell population density to detection of environmental stimuli in a pathogen of clinical significance.« less
5. Responsible Data Management

   https://doi.org/10.14778/3415478.3415570  

   Stoyanovich, Julia ; Howe, Bill ; Jagadish, H.V. ( August 2020 , Proceedings of the VLDB Endowment)

   The need for responsible data management intensifies with the growing impact of data on society. One central locus of the societal impact of data are Automated Decision Systems (ADS), socio-legal-technical systems that are used broadly in industry, non-pro fits, and government. ADS process data about people, help make decisions that are consequential to people's lives, are designed with the stated goals of improving efficiency and promoting equitable access to opportunity, involve a combination of human and automated decision making, and are subject to auditing for legal compliance and to public disclosure. They may or may not use AI, and may or may not operate with a high degree of autonomy, but they rely heavily on data. In this article, we argue that the data management community is uniquely positioned to lead the responsible design, development, use, and oversight of ADS. We outline a technical research agenda that requires that we step outside our comfort zone of engineering for efficiency and accuracy, to also incorporate reasoning about values and beliefs. This seems high-risk, but one of the upsides is being able to explain to our children what we do and why it matters.