University of Southampton Philosophy and Computer Science PhD student published in international journal

As AI deployment has broadened, so too has an awareness for the ethical implications and problems that may ensue from this deployment. In response, groups across multiple domains have issued AI ethics standards that rely on vague, high-level principles to find consensus.

University of Southampton Philosophy and Computer Science PhD student Eryn Rigley is first author on a paper exploring these issues, 'Anthropocentrism and environmental wellbeing in AI ethics standards: a scoping review and discussion', which has recently been published in the international peer-reviewed journal AI.

This paper undertakes a scoping review of AI ethics standards to examine the commitment to ‘human-centredness’ and how this commitment interacts with other ethical concerns. This includes concerns for nonhuman animals and environmental wellbeing.

A critical analysis of the findings in this paper suggests that a commitment to human-centredness within AI ethics standards accords with the definition of anthropocentrism in moral philosophy: that humans have, at least, more intrinsic moral value than nonhumans.

The limitations of anthropocentric AI ethics are also considered, which include permitting harm to the environment and animals and undermining the stability of ecosystems.

Congratulations to Erin on your achievement.