# On the Ethical Considerations of Generative Agents

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2411.19211 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2411.19211/

## Key facts

- Cited by 4 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- Placed in General LLM agent frameworks and benchmarks, one of 16 directions in LLM agents and tool use.
- Builds on 21 of its 57 references that are in the map.
- First posted on arXiv 28 Nov 2024.

## Placed in

- LLM agents and tool use / [General LLM agent frameworks and benchmarks](https://mlsanity.com/agents/general-llm-agent-frameworks-and-benchmarks/)

## Builds on (most cited first, 21 of 21)

- [Generative Agents: Interactive Simulacra of Human Behavior](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2304.03442/) (2023)
- [Not what you've signed up for: Compromising Real-World LLM-Integrated Applications with Indirect Prompt Injection](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2302.12173/) (2023)
- [In-Context Retrieval-Augmented Language Models](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2302.00083/) (2023)
- [A Survey on RAG Meeting LLMs: Towards Retrieval-Augmented Large Language Models](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2405.06211/) (2024)
- [Benchmarking Large Language Models in Retrieval-Augmented Generation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2309.01431/) (2023)
- [The Creation and Detection of Deepfakes: A Survey](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2004.11138/) (2020)
- [Sustainable AI: Environmental Implications, Challenges and Opportunities](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2111.00364/) (2021)
- [Foundational Challenges in Assuring Alignment and Safety of Large Language Models](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2404.09932/) (2024)
- [From Words to Watts: Benchmarking the Energy Costs of Large Language Model Inference](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2310.03003/) (2023)
- [Harms from Increasingly Agentic Algorithmic Systems](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2302.10329/) (2023)
- [The Ethics of Advanced AI Assistants](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2404.16244/) (2024)
- [A Comprehensive Study of Jailbreak Attack versus Defense for Large Language Models](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2402.13457/) (2024)
- [The spread of low-credibility content by social bots](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1707.07592/) (2017)
- [LLMCarbon: Modeling the end-to-end Carbon Footprint of Large Language Models](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2309.14393/) (2023)
- [Breaking Down the Defenses: A Comparative Survey of Attacks on Large Language Models](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2403.04786/) (2024)
- [GenAI Against Humanity: Nefarious Applications of Generative Artificial Intelligence and Large Language Models](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2310.00737/) (2023)
- [The future of human-AI collaboration: a taxonomy of design knowledge for hybrid intelligence systems](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2105.03354/) (2021)
- [Unraveling the Hidden Environmental Impacts of AI Solutions for Environment](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2110.11822/) (2021)
- [Measure-Observe-Remeasure: An Interactive Paradigm for Differentially-Private Exploratory Analysis](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2406.01964/) (2024)
- [Vocabulary Attack to Hijack Large Language Model Applications](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2404.02637/) (2024)
- [Deceptive AI Ecosystems: The Case of ChatGPT](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2306.13671/) (2023)

## Built on by (most cited first, 4 of 4)

- [Towards Scientific Intelligence: A Survey of LLM-based Scientific Agents](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2503.24047/) (2025)
- [From AI for Science to Agentic Science: A Survey on Autonomous Scientific Discovery](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2508.14111/) (2025)
- [Limits to AI Growth: The Ecological and Social Consequences of Scaling](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2501.17980/) (2025)
- [Let's Get You Hired: A Job Seeker's Perspective on Multi-Agent Recruitment Systems for Explaining Hiring Decisions](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2505.20312/) (2025)

## Abstract (arXiv)

The Generative Agents framework recently developed by Park et al. has enabled numerous new technical solutions and problem-solving approaches. Academic and industrial interest in generative agents has been explosive as a result of the effectiveness of generative agents toward emulating human behaviour. However, it is necessary to consider the ethical challenges and concerns posed by this technique and its usage. In this position paper, we discuss the extant literature that evaluate the ethical considerations regarding generative agents and similar generative tools, and identify additional concerns of significant importance. We also suggest guidelines and necessary future research on how to mitigate some of the ethical issues and systemic risks associated with generative agents.