Ethics by Design

“If we see ethics as part and parcel of design, of producing and deploying products with genuine value, we can also see studying ethics as something to be integrated with studying AI, computing, and technology, not some separate afterthought to design.” (Boddington, 2023)

Ethics has traditionally been about people, and their good behaviour. By contrast, ‘Ethics by Design’ (EbD) is an organisational concept where ethical considerations are built into new designs right from the beginning.

This allows ethical discussions throughout the process, and enables products, systems and decision-making activities that foreground such considerations – e.g., sustainability, privacy or equality.

With AI and the ongoing issues of privacy, transparency of business practices and data protection, mindful design processes have never been more vital. The right to dignity, equality, privacy, data protection, transparency and trust are principles identified by the European Commission, which they wish to see incorporated into the funded technologies.

References:
Boddington, P. (2023). AI Ethics: A Textbook. New York, New York, USA: Springer