The Ethics of Artificial Intelligence explores, analyzes, and investigates some of the most basic concepts, values, moral principles, and ethical dilemmas shaping contemporary human life. Old philosophical questions-such as puzzles about meaning in life, moral responsibility, or the nature and importance of consciousness-get new life and are given new twists in the contemporary age of artificial intelligence.
From questions about the impact of AI on moral responsibility and meaning in life, to puzzles about generative AI and authorship, the possibility of artificial consciousness, control and value alignment problems, AI imitations of living or dead people, and on to the ethics of gambling with the future of humanity-this book tackles some of the most pressing issues of our time head on.
About the Author :
Sven Nyholm is Professor of the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence at LMU Munich and one of the Principal Investigators at the Munich Center for Machine Learning. His previous books include Humans and Robots: Ethics, Agency, and Anthropomorphism and This is Technology Ethics: An Introduction.
Review :
“With remarkable clarity and insight, Sven Nyholm guides readers through the central moral issues and questions raised by artificial intelligence—from alignment and accountability to moral status and human flourishing. Refusing both hype and moral panic, the book offers a steady and humane account of how traditions in moral philosophy can inform and guide technological innovation even as AI compels us to reexamine what it means to think and act ethically. An exceptionally accessible work that speaks equally to students, scholars, and general readers alike.”
—David J. Gunkel, Northern Illinois University; author of The Machine Question: Critical Perspectives on AI, Robots and Ethics and Person, Thing, Robot: A Moral and Legal Ontology for the 21st Century and Beyond
“Sven Nyholm’s book manages to be both cutting-edge and timeless—it should be an instant classic. Clear, intellectually serious, and remarkably accessible, it is an ideal introduction to the ethics of artificial intelligence. Ranging from classic questions about intelligence, agency, and responsibility to today’s debates about generative AI, authorship, digital duplicates of real people, AI moral advisors, consciousness, and the future of work, Nyholm offers a rare combination of philosophical nuance and plain-language clarity. He neither sensationalizes nor sanitizes AI’s ethical challenges, instead guiding the reader through them with balance, insight, and a steady hand. This book is perfectly suited for students, policymakers, and general readers—yet it also advances the scholarly conversation with original, up-to-date arguments and a unifying philosophical vision. There is no better philosopher to bring the ethics of AI to a wide audience.”
—Brian Earp, Director, Oxford-NUS Centre for Neuroethics and Society, University of Oxford and the National University of Singapore
“Sven Nyholm has skillfully met an urgent pedagogical need: a clear, organized, and engaging text on AI ethics that centers on philosophical questions and reasoning. Chapters on topics such as moral alignment, authorship and accountability, and the future of human work not only include a range of philosophical views, but also critically examine arguments for and against these views. The result is a thought provoking and satisfying text that can easily anchor an undergraduate course, whether a lecture or a seminar. Happily, Nyholm’s text will also leave interdisciplinary students wanting to learn more about philosophy and the impressive range of thinkers he cites, from Kant and Camus to Floridi and Bender.”
—Crystal L’Hote, Director of the Philosophy and Ethics Program, Saint Michael’s College
