Philosopher's Zone Speech acts and AI
Apr 9, 2026
Chris Cousins, lecturer in moral and political philosophy at the University of Glasgow, studies language, ethics and speech acts. He explains what makes promises, orders and offers morally effective. He contrasts intention-based and audience-based accounts. He applies these ideas to AI in the workplace, hybrid authorship, legal responsibility and practical steps when messages may be machine-generated.
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Air Canada Chatbot Cost The Airline In Court
- Air Canada chatbot told a customer he qualified for a discount but required full fare up front, then denied the discount after the flight.
- The customer sued and won; the court held Air Canada responsible for its chatbot's promises and awarded damages.
Speech Acts Create Moral Obligations
- Speech acts do more than convey information; they create obligations like promising or ordering.
- Chris Cousins explains promises impose moral burdens that differ from merely stating intentions, affecting relationships and trust.
Intent Matters In Traditional Speech Act Theory
- Intentionalist speech act theory ties an act's force to the speaker's intention to perform it.
- If a speaker was joking or didn't mean it, we typically don't count that as a genuine promise or marriage vow.