Introduction to The Elgar Companion to Applied AI Ethics

The introduction provides an overview of various ethical theories and sheds light on the fundamental questions that characterize the ethical discourses surrounding Artificial Intelligence (AI). Given the inherent controversy around normative statements, the chapter examines the distinctive nature of ethics when compared to other scholarly disciplines, such as physics or mathematics, while emphasizing the inherent disagreements among ethicists, particularly between the use of consequentialist and deontological approaches. Furthermore, the chapter examines the rising importance of ethics in informing policy-making, with a specific focus on the regulation of digital technologies such as AI. It also addresses the question, why AI has sparked such a fundamental ethical debate, by examining the unique attributes of AI that differentiate it from traditional technologies, and expands the discussion to encompass critical issues such as privacy, bias, transparency, and accountability in the AI era. Ultimately, the chapter navigates the intricate relationship between human agency, technological advancement, and ethical decision-making across diverse contexts, underscoring the urgent need for normative frameworks to steer responsible innovation and societal change.