The latest episode of the TLU podcast explores the complex challenges and future of AI ethics
In this episode, we are joined by Paula Gürtler, a PhD student at Charles University in Prague and a researcher at CEPS, who explains why AI is not merely technological code but a socio-technical system shaping our society.
Host Terry McDonald and Paula Gürtler discuss AI ethics as a discipline that questions what is right or wrong and whether the ways AI is being used are truly beneficial for society.
The episode analyzes AI ethics through several critical lenses, starting with the capabilities approach, where Gürtler examines whether AI expands real opportunities for people to lead lives they value or forces everyone into the same mold. Regarding systemic errors and bias, she explains how human decisions in data selection have led to discrimination, citing the Dutch tax authority case where individuals were falsely accused of fraud based solely on their postcodes.
Gürtler also addresses the concept of "ethics washing," noting that companies often use the facade of ethics primarily to avoid regulation or manage PR scandals, without a genuine desire to change their development processes. On the topic of accountability and human oversight, she emphasizes that responsibility must remain with humans, whether it is a doctor making a diagnosis or a state performing border control, to ensure meaningful oversight of these systems. Finally, the discussion touches upon AI's role in warfare, based on the case where Anthropic refused a Pentagon contract, arguing that today's technology is not reliable enough to control autonomous weapons without final human intervention.