Peter Vamplew (@amp1874.bsky.social)

Computer says sorry? After months in copy-editing hell, Haddie Harland's review of AI apology research is now available: link.springer.com/article/10.1... This is a must read for anyone interested in how AI systems can effectively and appropriately use apologies to facilitate human interaction 1/2

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AI apology: a critical review of apology in AI systems - Artificial Intelligence Review Apologies are a powerful tool used in human-human interactions to provide affective support, regulate social processes, and exchange information following a trust violation. The emerging field of AI apology investigates the use of apologies by artificially intelligent systems, with recent research suggesting how this tool may provide similar value in human-machine interactions. Until recently, contributions to this area were sparse, and these works have yet to be synthesised into a cohesive body of knowledge. This article provides the first synthesis and critical analysis of the state of AI apology research, focusing on studies published between 2020 and 2023. We derive a framework of attributes to describe five core elements of apology: outcome, interaction, offence, recipient, and offender. With this framework as the basis for our critique, we show how apologies can be used to recover from misalignment in human-AI interactions, and examine trends and inconsistencies within the field. Among the observations, we outline the importance of curating a human-aligned and cross-disciplinary perspective in this research, with consideration for improved system capabilities and long-term outcomes. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10462-025-11305-8