Unintended consequences of AI and ethical considerations
Dr Birgit Altrichter, Lecturer in Digital Economy within the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Discipline at ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ Business School (SBS), and Professor Glenn Parry, Professor of Digital Transformation and Associate Dean Research, Faculty of Arts, Business & Social Sciences, recently presented a proposal on unintended consequences of artificial intelligence (AI) and ethical considerations at the International Conference on AI and the Digital Economy, held in Venice, Italy.
While emerging technologies offer transformative benefits across various domains, leading to increased levels of automation, organisational efficiency, and convenience, technological advancements frequently lead to unintended negative outcomes. In the extended , the authors discuss how AI can create sustainability and ethical challenges. For example, the emergence and increasingly widespread use of AI are leading to environmental challenges due to significant water usage caused by water-based cooling systems to enable the operation of data centres.
Ethical challenges
In addition to sustainability challenges, AI can also give rise to significant ethical challenges. Generative AI has facilitated the ease of creating and augmenting digital content, which can easily be copied and shared online; creators’ control over content is often lost. Beyond copyright complexities, recently, further challenges have emerged as technology advanced. Generative AI is being increasingly misused to create, amplify, and distribute abusive content, such as non-consensual images. Particularly women and children are at risk, with significant implications for affected individuals.
Preventing negative outcomes
The proposed research suggests to investigate common pathways responsible for these unintended consequences in the empirical context of AI. By fostering a deeper understanding of these dynamics, the study seeks to develop strategies to mitigate or prevent negative outcomes, contributing to more responsible and sustainable technology development.
This research aims to develop recommendations, so that UN Sustainable Development Goals can be adequately considered in technology design, business models, and relevant policies. Drawing on insights from our empirical context of AI, this research aims to clearly conceptualise unintended consequences and develop recommendations for guardrails to address or avoid such unintended consequences, counteracting negative outcomes for individuals, society, and the environment.
Developing guardrails
This research has the potential to provide valuable insights for industry leaders, policymakers, and technology developers seeking to balance innovation with societal and environmental responsibility. By identifying the pathways through which unintended consequences emerge, the study aims to support the development of practical guardrails, governance frameworks, and business strategies that promote sustainable innovation. The findings could help organisations reduce risks, enhance public trust, inform policy development, and ensure that emerging technologies contribute more effectively to the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
The conference presentation sparked lively discussions and was awarded as runner-up for the Conference Best Paper Award.
Related sustainable development goals
