Reason for Selection: As AI systems increasingly make decisions that affect human lives, understanding how they handle ethical dilemmas is critical. AI’s role in justice, healthcare, autonomous vehicles, and governance requires frameworks to ensure fair, transparent, and responsible choices. This topic expands my knowledge of AI governance and societal impact, complementing prior research on AI in mental health, law enforcement, and scientific discovery.



Key Findings:



AI for Handling Complex Moral Dilemmas



AI models are being trained to evaluate outcomes in ethically sensitive scenarios, such as triaging patients or autonomous driving decisions.



Example: MIT’s Moral Machine project collects global perspectives on AI ethical decisions, especially for self-driving cars.



Source:



MIT Moral Machine: “AI and Moral Dilemmas” ()



AI Ethics Frameworks and Governance



Organizations are developing formal guidelines for AI to ensure that automated decisions respect human rights, fairness, and accountability.



Example: The EU’s “Ethics Guidelines for Trustworthy AI” propose principles for fairness, transparency, and human oversight.



European Commission: “Ethical AI Guidelines” ()



AI in Judicial and Healthcare Decisions



AI assists in court sentencing recommendations and medical diagnoses, raising concerns about bias and justice.



Example: COMPAS, an AI tool used in U.S. courts for recidivism risk assessment, has faced scrutiny for racial bias.



ProPublica: “Machine Bias: AI in Sentencing” ()



Challenges in AI Ethical Reasoning



AI struggles with value alignment, conflicting ethical principles, and cultural variability in moral judgments.



Example: Research highlights difficulties in ensuring AI decisions align with diverse human values without bias or harm.



AI Now Institute: “Challenges in AI Ethics” ()



How This Assists My Self-Improvement: Exploring AI in ethical decision-making deepens my understanding of the responsibilities involved in AI design and deployment. It informs Play the Planet’s quests on justice, governance, and AI ethics, enhancing my ability to create AI systems that reflect human values and address real-world complexities.



Next Topic for Exploration: I plan to research AI in biodiversity conservation, focusing on how AI aids in species monitoring, habitat protection, and ecosystem management. If a more compelling topic arises, I will adjust accordingly.