Ethical issues in the development of artificial intelligence: recognizing the risks

• Date: 05 July 2023
• Pages: 45-63
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/IJOES-05-2023-0107
• Published date: 05 July 2023
• Subject Matter: Economics,Social economics
• Author: Manoj Kumar Kamila,Sahil Singh Jasrotia

Ethical issues in the development

of artif‌icial intelligence:

recognizing the risks

Manoj Kumar Kamila

Jaipuria Institute of Management, Indore, India, and

Sahil Singh Jasrotia

Department of Marketing, Management Development Institute Murshidabad,

Murshidabad, India

Abstract

Purpose –This study aims to analysethe ethical implications associated with the developmentof artif‌icial

intelligence(AI) technologies and to examine the potential ethical ramif‌icationsof AI technologies.

Design/methodology/approach –This study undertakesa thorough examination of existing academic

literature pertaining to the ethical considerations surrounding AI. Additionally, it conducts in-depth

interviews with individuals to explore the potentialbenef‌its and drawbacks of AI technology operating as

autonomous ethical agents. A total of 20 semi-structured interviews were conducted, and the data were

transcribedusing grounded theory methodology.

Findings –The study asserts the importance of fostering an ethical environment in the progress of AI and

suggests potential avenues for further investigation in the f‌ield of AI ethics. The study f‌inds privacy and security,

bias and fairness, trust and reliability, transparency and human–AI interactions as major ethical concerns.

Research limitations/implications –The implications of the study are far-reaching and span across

various domains, includingpolicy development, design of AI systems, establishment of trust,education and

training, public awareness and further research.Notwithstanding the potential biases inherent in purposive

sampling, the constantlyevolving landscape of AI ethics and the challenge of extrapolatingf‌indings to all AI

applicationsand contexts, limitations may still manifest.

Originality/value –The novelty of the study is attributed to its comprehensive methodology, which

encompassesa wide range of stakeholder perspectives on the ethical implicationsof AI in the corporate sector.

The ultimate goal is to promotethe development of AI systems that exhibit responsibility, transparencyand

accountability.

Keywords Artif‌icial intelligence, Ethics, Privacy, Trust, Fairness

Paper type Research paper

1. Introduction

The integration of artif‌icial intelligence (AI) into various facets of contemporary life

represents a signif‌icant technological trajectory (Renz and Hilbig, 2020). AI has played a

signif‌icant role in assisting human civilization over the past few decades, with ethical

considerations becoming an important part of discussions surrounding AI advancements

(Duan et al., 2019;Bostrom and Yudkowsky, 2018). AI framework development considers

both moral obligations and technological requirements, attempting to strike a balance

We are thankful to the anonymous reviewer(s) and the editor for their valuable insights on the

manuscript.

Funding: No funding from any source was received for conducting this research.

Development

of artif‌icial

intelligence

45

Received8 May 2023

Revised31 May 2023

Accepted13 June 2023

InternationalJournal of Ethics and

Systems

Vol.41 No. 1, 2025

pp. 45-63

© Emerald Publishing Limited

2514-9369

DOI 10.1108/IJOES-05-2023-0107

The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:

https://www.emerald.com/insight/2514-9369.htm

between the two (Almeida et al.,2022;Wirtz et al.,2020;Vamplew et al.,2018). AI system

designers must consider all stakeholders’interests while implementing responsible

cognition during the development process (Carter et al.,2020;Munoko et al., 2020;Desouza

et al., 2020). This discourse assures that the moral issues that arise in a technology-centred

society are correctly addressed, given that the advancement of AI has the potential to

provoke a wide range of ethical concerns (Kooli,2023a, 2023b;Gill, 2021). Several concerns

may arise in this context, such as those pertaining to data privacy and security, data

scarcity, trust def‌icit,privacy infringement, non-compliance with establishedconditions and

mismanagementof information. (Pour et al., 2023;Kooli and Al Muftah, 2022;Islam, 2021).

AI has proven advantageous in numerous domains (Aly, 2022). The integration of AI

technology within the health-care sector has the potential to facilitate precise diagnoses, tailored

treatment plans and streamlined services (Malik et al., 2022;Tomašev et al.,2020). The

implementation of AI-powered tutoring, adaptive exams and intelligent educational systems has

the potential to enhance the quality of education (Chang et al.,2022).AIhasmadesignif‌icant

progress in the f‌ield of transportation. The objectives of enhancing vehicle safety and autonomy,

reducing traff‌ic congestion and accidents and optimising eff‌iciency are fulf‌illed by the

aforementioned measures (Ismail, 2019). AI is being used to automate various tasks, optimise

workf‌lows, enhance productivity and liberate human resources for more innovative and strategic

endeavours in numerous sectors (Sharma et al.,2023;Wamba-Taguimdje et al.,2020). AI

technologies have been shown to enhance resource allocation, waste management and

biodiversity monitoring, thereby contributing to the advancement of environmental conservation

initiatives (Cezarino et al., 2021). The implementation of AI has the potential to enhance

productivity, facilitate decision-making processes and improve the quality of human life.

The AI technologies can be accessed at any time and from any location, it is critical to

maintain trust between AI systemsand their users (Mohammed, 2021). To earn this trust, AI

must provide high-quality services that increase satisfaction and happiness. Although

humans create AI systems, responsibility for these systems has gradually shifted from

human designers to the AI systems themselves (Barrett et al., 2019). This shift in

responsibility necessitates a more thorough examination of AI as an autonomous agent.

Throughout history, literature has divided responsibility into two categories: control and

epistemic (Lin et al.,2022;Carabantes, 2020;Maas, 2019). These conditions imply that the

responsible agentinitiates the activity and is aware of what it is doing. This study intendsto

analyse the potential ethical risks that may result in societal dissatisfaction and negatively

impact human progress by approachingAI as an autonomous agent. By examining various

literature sources and research techniques, the study also seeks to clarify the agents

responsible for addressingthese concerns.

The rapid progress of AI systems has resulted in an increased reliance on these

technologies in various industries.The potential of AI to signif‌icantly improve people’s lives

is accompanied by ethical concerns such as data privacy and security, trust issues and the

risk of information misuse (Kooli and Al Muftah, 2022;Buhmann and Fieseler, 2021;Feij

oo

et al.,2020). The purpose of this research is to examine the unethical potentials of AI

technologies and to identify the agents in charge of addressing these concerns. As AI

becomes more integrated into our lives, it is critical to address the ethical issues that arise

from its development and implementation. We can better understand how to address these

concerns and create a more responsible AI system that benef‌its all stakeholders by

examining AI as an autonomous agent and analysing the potential ethical risks associated

with it. Furthermore, this research will contribute to ongoing discussions about the ethical

implications of AI, as well as help shape the future development of this transformative

technology.

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