Abstract The currently developing fields of Ambient
Intelligence and Persuasive Technology bring about a
convergence of information technology and cognitive
science. Smart environments that are able to respond
intelligently to what we do and that even aim to
influence our behaviour challenge the basic frameworks
we commonly use for understanding the
relations and role divisions between human beings
and technological artifacts. After discussing the
promises and threats of these technologies, this article
develops alternative conceptions of agency, freedom,
and responsibility that make it possible to better
understand and assess the social roles of Ambient
Intelligence and Persuasive Technology. The central
claim of the article is that these new technologies urge
us to blur the boundaries between humans and
technologies also at the level of our conceptual and
moral frameworks