theorypedia
← Back to feed

Analyzing the Use of Ethical Theories Within AI Ethics Research: A Systematic Scoping Review

springerprofessional.de

The frameworks humans use to judge right and wrong are now being hardcoded into AI systems — and this review reveals which ethical theories are winning, and what gets left out.

Deontological EthicsConsequentialismVirtue EthicsNormative Ethics
Analyzing the Use of Ethical Theories Within AI Ethics Research: A Systematic Scoping Review

Theory Briefing

  • Deontological ethics dominates AI ethics research, meaning rigid duty-bound rules are the primary blueprint for designing AI behavior.
  • Consequentialism — judging actions by their outcomes — features prominently too, creating tension with rule-based approaches inside the same AI systems.
  • The systematic review exposes a theoretical monoculture in AI ethics, raising the stakes for whichever framework fails to make the cut.