Some Characteristic Pitfalls in Considering the Ethics of AI, and What to Do About Them

Abstract

Those developing codes of ethics for AI must of necessity consider the ethical issues that AI presents. There are some common pitfalls and gaps in argument to watch out for here. A full treatment of this topic would take much longer, but this chapter simply aims to alert readers to some of the main traps to avoid. There is always a balance between abstract and concrete thinking in ethics. Work in AI and ethics may concentrate too much on the idea that what distinguishes humans is their intelligence, and subsequently, idealisation or oversimplification of what is involved in both human and machine agency may occur. There may be different expectations for human and machine agency which are present but not fully articulated. This can have concrete and deleterious impacts upon any ethical conclusions which are drawn. AI is used to enhance or replace human agency. This means we must pay attention to questions about the boundaries of human agency and ‘normal’ human functioning. There needs to be careful consideration of different cases, given the varying nature of AI. The impacts of AI may not be just on its immediate use, but further afield within complex social systems, and careful attention should be paid to this. Lastly, clarity of language and of definitions is frequently an issue in AI; common language may mask deep disagreement.