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Chapter 6: Ethics

First there was a D, then an I, then an M and an S. But before we fully complete the DIMSE framework, we are still missing an E! And that, as you probably already know, stands for ethics.

How do you use AI responsibly and decently in your work? You will learn more about that in this chapter.

Briefly about ethics

Ethics is an ancient discipline that philosophers have worked on for thousands of years. The question they have wrestled with throughout has been: How should we act as human beings so that we are good, virtuous and decent towards one another?

That question has only become more relevant since AI entered the workplace. And at SDU, we naturally also want AI to be used ethically and responsibly.

Using AI responsibly is about how you should use the technology in situations where rules and guidelines do not give a clear answer. Here, you need to rely on your own judgement and assess what the right thing to do is.

That may sound a little complicated. But the good news is that ethical awareness can be trained – and moral judgement can improve with a little practice.

AI code of conduct

At SDU, we have a code of conduct for the use of AI, which you can also find explained in more detail here. You may already have seen it. If not, we recommend that you read it carefully – because these are the values that guide how AI is used here:

  1. Human-centred and values-based
  2. Quality and validity
  3. Transparency
  4. Ethics and responsibility
  5. Security and data protection
  6. Sustainability

In other words, the code of conduct describes the values that characterise good and responsible use of AI at SDU, which you can translate into your own practice and work.

A small interior tip: Print the code of conduct and put it up in your office. Then you have both something nice to look at that reminds you of the values when you work with AI – and something to talk about with your colleagues.

Virtues of credibility

One of the ancient philosophers who can help us use AI responsibly in our work is Aristotle. His concept of ethos is about acting in a way that we can be proud of ourselves and that also makes us more credible in the eyes of others.

According to Aristotle, there are three things that make us credible - and that you can apply to your use of AI:

  1. Competence: Does your use of AI help make you better at your work – or does it lead to carelessness, cheating or cognitive offloading?
  2. Helpfulness: Do you use AI in a way that also helps others in their work – or do you simply pass the workload on?
  3. Moral backbone: Does your use of AI make you a better version of yourself at work – or do you use it in a way that you can see yourself is indecent?

Aristotle’s virtues of credibility thus provide some simple guidelines for how you should use AI in your work so that you can be proud of yourself and do not damage your reputation in the eyes of others.

Exercise: Indecent use of AI

Sometimes it can be easier to imagine what you should not do. That is why you can use Aristotle’s virtues of credibility to reflect on what would be indecent to use AI for in your work:

  • How can you use AI to appear incompetent and as though you have poor judgement?
  • If you really wanted to show unwillingness towards others and make their working day difficult – what could you do with AI?
  • There must be a way to use AI in a completely indecent way, mustn’t there? How can AI make you a worse person?

By doing this reflection exercise, you become clearer about what to avoid if you want to keep a good reputation and be able to look yourself in the eye. And that is quite nice, isn’t it?

Conclusion

You now know more about how to use AI responsibly at SDU.

When we use AI, we all have a responsibility to stay on the path of virtue and think about both our own reputation and SDU’s reputation.

Fortunately, ethics is not something you need to reflect on alone. We encourage you to speak openly and honestly with your colleagues and your manager about how you use AI – and how you can use the technology best together.

Also ask about what your colleagues use AI for. Be curious, and talk about artificial intelligence at your team and department meetings.

In short: Look over each other’s shoulders when you work with AI. That is how we become better at understanding how to use it well – and for the common good.

Rules of thumb for using AI responsibly

  1. Use AI in a way that you can be proud of – even when no one is watching you
  2. Use the technology in the way you would want others to use it
  3. Use AI as an opportunity to become an even better employee: more competent, more helpful and with strong moral backbone

Do you have any questions?

You are always welcome to contact us if you have questions or need sparring about the use of AI.

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