Introduction to AI Ethics
What is Ethics?
Ethics means knowing what is right and wrong, and making decisions that do not harm others.
What is AI Ethics?
AI Ethics means making sure AI behaves responsibly, fairly, and safely, without harming people or society.
Since AI systems make decisions automatically, it is important to ensure that:
They do not discriminate
They protect user privacy
They provide correct and safe outputs
They do not harm society
AI should help people, not create problems.
Why Does AI Need Ethics?
AI needs ethics because:
1. AI learns from data
If the data contains mistakes or biases, AI will repeat them.
2. AI decisions affect real people
AI tools select job candidates, approve loans, recommend content, and even assist doctors.
A wrong decision can harm someone’s life.
3. AI is becoming extremely powerful
With great power comes great responsibility.
The more AI grows, the more carefully it must be controlled.
4. AI does not understand human values
AI cannot feel emotions or judge fairness.
So humans must give it rules to follow.
 
Real-Life Examples Where AI Caused Problems
1. Biased Hiring Tools
A company used AI to select job applicants.
The tool preferred male candidates because the training data mostly contained male resumes.
What happened?
The AI started unfairly rejecting women
People lost opportunities because of biased data
Why unethical?
Unfair, discriminatory, and harmful to equal opportunity.
2. Harmful Social Media Recommendations
AI on platforms like YouTube, Instagram recommends videos based on what users previously watched.
But sometimes:
One negative or violent video leads to more harmful content
Students get addicted
Misinformation spreads quickly
Why unethical?
AI focuses on keeping users online, not on their wellbeing.