The ethical challenges presented by artificial intelligence (AI) are not entirely new; rather, they are an extension and amplification of existing ethical and societal issues. Subjects like surveillance, manipulation, and inequality have long been topics of ethical concern, but the advent of AI technologies brings a new scale, complexity, and urgency to these matters. AI also introduces new variables into ethical discussions, such as the role of machine learning algorithms in decision-making processes that were previously the sole domain of human judgment. This adds layers of complexity to ethical considerations, including transparency, accountability, and the ever-present concern for human dignity. The present book examines the complex ethical landscape surrounding AI.

The first chapter aims to serve as a comprehensive introduction to a book focused on AI, ethics, and human rights. It outlines the book’s major themes, justifies the use of case studies as a methodological approach, and provides a detailed structure of the book’s content. The chapter also clarifies the concept of ethics used, situating it within broader discussions on AI regulation.

Chapter 2’s main question is centered on how AI systems can perpetuate biases and lead to discrimination against individuals based on protected characteristics such as age, race, gender, and disability. Chapter 3 refers to how the advancement of AI can affect or exacerbate existing concerns related to privacy and data protection. It aims to elucidate the complexities surrounding privacy issues within the context of AI technologies.

The main issue discussed in chapter 4 revolves around the concept of “surveillance capitalism,” which involves the appropriation and commercialization of personal data for profit. The fifth chapter focuses on the ethical concerns surrounding AI’s potential to manipulate individuals, with far-reaching implications for both the manipulated persons and society at large.

The sixth chapter looks at the ethical and human rights implications of AI applications with regard to human life, liberty, and security. Chapter 7 addresses the role and utility of the concept of “dignity” in the ethical debates surrounding AI. The eighth chapter refers to the dual-edged nature of AI in relation to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Finally, the concluding chapter serves as a synthesis of the ethical concerns and debates surrounding AI as discussed throughout the book. The core argument revolves around the notion that the ethical challenges posed by AI are often not intrinsic to the technology itself, but arise from its application, deployment, and reliability in various contexts.