Peter Mantello

c:o/re short-term Senior Fellow (11/02 − 17/02/2024)

Peter Mantello is an artist, filmmaker and Professor of Media Studies at Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University in Japan. Since 2010, he has been a principal investigator on various research projects examining the intersection between emerging media technologies, social media artifacts, artificially intelligent agents, hyperconsumerism and conflict. His recent research focuses on interdisciplinary inquiries into phenomenological aspects of human-machine relations, especially, those related to emotional AI. He is also working on a feature film that deals with social, political, and cultural concerns surrounding the rise of emotional AI on six continents.

A comparison of views on emotional AI in Japan and Germany

This research project examines the impact of emotional AI (EAI) in the Japanese and German workplace (on-site, hybrid, gig, and platform), to understand how to create ethical, human-centric, and dignity-enhancing forms of work practices and governance. Employing a mixed methods approach involving interviews, surveys, and innovative design-fiction and policy workshops, the project has five main goals. First, to understand the determinants of technological trust and risk perception of workers toward a new technologically mediated work situation. Second, to cultivate a nuanced understanding of the importance of cultural diversity in AI ethics by exploring the epistemological and ontological dimensions of emotion-sensing technologies. Third, to flesh out potential best practices so that these systems support rather than exploit workers. Fourth, to enable cross-cultural knowledge exchange (Japan/German) between academics and stakeholders. Fifth, to mentor the next generation of Early Career Researchers into leadership roles pertaining to AI ethics and the emerging world of emotion-recognition technologies.

Publications (selection)

Mantello, P., Ho MT, Nguyen, M. & Vuong, Q (2023) Machines that feel: Behavioral determinants of attitude towards affect recognition technology—Upgrading technology acceptance theory with the mindsponge model. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 10(1), 1-16. Nature.com https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-023-01837-1

Mantello, P., Ho MT, (2023) Emotional AI and the Future of Wellbeing in the Post-Pandemic Workplace, AI and Society, Springer Nature. DOI: 0.1007/s00146-023-01639-8.

Mantello, P., Ho MT, Podoletz, L (2023) ‘Automating Extremism: Mapping The Affective Role of Artificially Intelligent Agents in Online Radicalisation’ in E.Pashentsev’s, The Palgrave Handbook of Malicious Use of Artificial Intelligence, Palgrave McMillan.  ISBN: 9783031225512

Mantello, P., Manh, T. Vuong.Q (2021) Bosses without a Heart: A Bayesian analysis of socio-demographic and cross-cultural determinants of attitude toward the Automated Management, AI & Society. Springer Nature. DOI: 10.1007/s00146-021-01290-1.

Mantello, P. (2021) Fatal Portraits: The Selfie as Agent of Radicalization, Sign Systems Studies, Tartu University Press, 2021 https://doi.org/10.12697/SSS.2021.49.3-4.16