AI-Engaged Leisure as a Pathway to Moral Disengagement

The sycophancy of artificial intelligence (AI) has become a topic of concern. The tendency of AI to flatter users or validate their actions can lead to a variety of negative outcomes, including moral disengagement and moral licensing to engage in negative behaviors. These impacts have been documented in work and education, and more recently in the personal life domain, as AI spreads rapidly to new contexts. While research on AI-engaged leisure is in its infancy, there is reason to believe that AI has – or will soon – insinuate itself into the leisure domain despite widespread ambivalence and uncertainty about its impacts. In this essay we explore potential consequences of this growth in AI-engaged leisure, specifically focusing on its potential to spur moral disengagement and moral licensing of negative leisure behaviors. We conclude with a discussion of potential implications for the practice of leisure, as well as leisure-focused research and education activities.