An Ethics of Care Approach: The Key to Harnessing AI for Humanity's Benefit.
A vision of machines of loving grace...
As we stand on the precipice of the AI revolution, the existential threat posed by artificial intelligence is becoming increasingly apparent. The rapid advancement of AI technologies, such as generative AI, has the potential to outpace our ability to control and understand them. Mo Gawdat warns in his book, "Scary Smart," of the impending "AI apocalypse" if we fail to instill ethical values in AI systems.
However, which ethical framework should we adopt in training AI? As Mo points out, “And yes, sadly, we are not designing AI to think like a human, we are designing it to think like a man. The male-dominated pool of developers who are building the future of AI today are likely to create machines that favor so-called ‘masculine’ traits. Will that make AI prioritize competitiveness and discipline over love and flow? Can our world sustain being ruled by hyperintelligent masculinity?”1 He continues “We are creating a non-biological form of intelligence that, at its seed, is a replica of the masculine geek mind. In its infancy it is being assigned the mission of enabling the capitalist, imperialistic ambitions of the few – selling, spying, killing and gambling.”2 He urges us to take a more holistic approach, one that finds harmony between the East and the West, between masculine and feminine.
The time is ripe to advocate for an ethics of care approach3, which emphasizes empathy, interdependence, and contextual moral reasoning; this is the most effective way to ensure that AI serves humanity's best interests.
The ethics of care approach is fundamentally relational, focusing on the interconnectedness of all beings. It recognizes that our actions have ripple effects, impacting others in ways we may not immediately perceive. This perspective is crucial in AI training, as AI systems are increasingly integrated into our social fabric, influencing various aspects of our lives from healthcare to education, and even our interpersonal relationships.
By adopting an ethics of care approach, we can train AI systems to consider the broader implications of their actions, promoting decisions that prioritize collective well-being over individual gain. This approach contrasts with traditional ethical frameworks that often emphasize rules and principles, which may not fully capture the complexity and nuance of human moral dilemmas.
Moreover, an ethics of care approach encourages empathy, a quality that is often overlooked in AI development. Empathy enables us to understand and respond to the needs of others, a critical aspect of ethical decision-making. By incorporating empathy into AI training, we can create AI systems that are not only intelligent but also compassionate, enhancing their ability to make ethical decisions that respect human dignity and promote social harmony.
However, implementing an ethics of care approach in AI training is not without challenges. It requires a shift in our technological paradigm, from viewing AI as mere tools to recognizing them as integral parts of our social ecosystem. It also necessitates ongoing dialogue and collaboration among various stakeholders, including AI developers, ethicists, policymakers, and the public, to ensure that the values instilled in AI systems reflect our diverse and evolving moral landscape.
Gawdat emphasizes that the future of AI, and by extension, humanity, is in our hands. By adopting an ethics of care approach in AI training, we can guide AI development in a direction that safeguards our collective well-being and fosters a future where AI is a force for good, rather than an existential threat.
The existential threat posed by AI is not inevitable. It is a product of our choices, particularly the ethical values we choose to instill in AI systems. By embracing an ethics of care approach, we can harness the power of AI to create a more compassionate, equitable, and sustainable world, turning the "AI apocalypse" into an "AI renaissance."
Gawdat, Mo. Scary Smart: Scary Smart: The Future of Artificial Intelligence and How You Can Save Our World (p. 171). Macmillan. Kindle Edition.
Id., at p. 174. (Very reminiscent of philosopher Ken Wilbur’s description of the “fuck it or kill it” urge, which first appeared in his 1996 book “A Brief History of Everything.” )