A.I and media ethics

The lecture introduces the topic of ethics in AI and media, highlighting the increasing reliance on AI systems and the need to critically consider the implications of surrendering decision-making power to algorithms. It poses questions about the acceptable levels of AI involvement in decision-making and the ethical frameworks that should guide this process.

Ethics is defined as a system of moral principles and the analysis, evaluation, and promotion of correct conduct. The lecture explores the vagueness of these definitions, questioning what ethics truly covers, how correctness is defined, and who sets these standards. It also raises points about the universality and timelessness of ethical principles, using a song's lyrics to illustrate how cultural norms can influence ethical interpretations.

A clear distinction is made between ethics (voluntary guidelines) and law (mandatory rules with legal consequences). The importance of ethics in defining a profession is explained, as professions adhere to ethical standards, building public trust. Examples of professional ethics for doctors, teachers, and engineers are provided, demonstrating how ethics guide professional roles and are influenced by general societal morality.

Media ethics, rooted in journalism ethics, is explored through five core principles: accuracy (fact-based, verifiable information), independence (freedom from influences), impartiality (fair representation of all sides), humanity (awareness of action consequences, avoiding harm), and accountability (responsibility for actions, willingness to correct mistakes). The lecture also touches upon international and local ethical standards for journalists.

The discussion shifts to AI ethics, focusing on UNESCO's 2021 recommendations, adopted by 194 countries. These recommendations highlight four core values (human rights, peaceful living, diversity, environmental flourishing) and ten key principles, including proportionality, safety, fairness, privacy, human oversight, transparency, and accountability. ASEAN's guidelines on generative AI, featuring seven similar principles, are also presented.

A comparison reveals significant overlaps between UNESCO and ASEAN's AI ethical principles, such as transparency, fairness, safety, human oversight, privacy, and accountability. The lecture also references research showing common ethical principles across 200 AI guidelines globally, indicating a shared understanding of core values. A table is used to explicitly compare media principles (accuracy, independence, impartiality, humanity, accountability) with corresponding AI principles, showing how both revolve around ordinary moralities and information communication.

The lecture concludes with a recap of the topics covered: the definition of ethics, ethics in media and communications (focusing on journalism's five core principles), and AI ethics from UNESCO and ASEAN perspectives, as well as broader global guidelines. It emphasizes the substantial similarities between media ethics and AI ethics, underscoring that both ultimately aim to uphold ordinary moralities in the realm of information and communication.