The Journal of Applied Ethics in Artificial Intelligence

Our Mission

The journal exists to promote the thoughtful exploration of AI through the lens of ethical principles, concepts, and theories. We explore practical issues introduced by the actual or potential proliferation of artificial intelligence in our modern age with the goal of encouraging responsible decision making by all parties. We don't presume to solve the problem of AI, but hope to foster a crucial and impactful dialog within an organized community of experts.

Expertise Domains

The community that leads our discussion of applied ethics in artificial intelligence is comprised of experts, academics and professionals working in the the following domains (and their sub-specialties).

Technology

Technology has been the perennial disruptor of societies and economies from time immemorial. What happens in this modern era where AI is becoming an essential element of the tools we use in every aspect of our existence from warfare and policing to complex tasks at work and simple tasks at home.

Philosophy

Philosophers have wrestled with the deepest issues of human existence for millennia, and the field of applied ethics is precisely the study of moral philosophy. How are classical and modern philosophical presuppositions and schools of thought impacted by the introduction of AI, and is it possible for AI to engage the world in which we live philosophically?

Arts

When art is the creative vision of a human being, it isn’t always universally appreciated as beautiful, but there is an acknowledgement of a common creative process that defines the production of visual art, music compositions, poetry, literature and more. What is art when it is created by a machine?

Religion

“Deus ex machina,” (literally, “God from the machine”) was a phrase introduced by the ancient Greek playwright Aeschylus. How does AI function as Deus ex Machina? Can the machines themselves become the arbiters of morality? And, how does the proliferation of AI impact the major religious systems of the world in which we live?

Science

Scientific exploration originated in human neurons, traversing synapses on their way to books and journals that served as the building blocks of discovery and advancement for millennia. What happens when AI surpasses the reasoning capacity of human beings? [includes the sub-specialties of health, psychology and economics]

Law

What happens when laws that were written to govern people and societies are abstracted to machines and computer code. The U.S. Constitution, for instance, begins, “We the people… .” How are legal systems worldwide impacted by a society where decisions are being made not by people, but by systems owned by corporations and individuals?

FAQs

The Journal of Applied Ethics in Artificial Intelligence will initially launch as an online forum in late summer, 2023, soliciting contributions from experts in the community. We will be simultaneously building an editorial board that will oversee a more academic, biennial journal with the first issue being anticipated in the first half of 2024. Beyond these next 12 months, our board will set a course that will continue to advance the serious consideration of the ethical implications of AI during this critical, historical era in which we live.

Applied Ethics is the study of moral philosophy as it applied to specific situations. It is particularly relevant to our efforts as contributor guidelines require authors to explore issues that will impact real people in real situations (hence "applied" ethics). There is a valid place for theoretical and abstract considerations surrounding AI, but our contributions will be relevant to one of our core, six domains.

There is an "Engage" section of our main menu (top of this page) where you can explore options to contribute to our efforts. Our initial need will be for well credentialed contributors who can spark meaningful conversations in their areas of expertise. We will also be soliciting proposals from those who might add value on our editorial board, and finally, we are always grateful for sponsors who are interested in supporting our work monetarily or in kind.