Computers with Salaries and Cemeteries AI Ethics from Industry to Philosophy to Science Fiction

What does it mean to build artificial intelligence (AI) and how can we achieve accountability for its impact? This book shines a light on current and future AI ethics topics viewed through the lenses of 30 global practitioners and academics. Connecting industry applications, philosophical considerations, and creative portrayals by authors and screenwriters in science fiction and beyond, this novel multidisciplinary approach allows the reader to reflect on questions such as “How does it feel to play against machines — can we still call it sport?”; “Would you trust a machine with your money?”; “What is it like when AI follows Buddhist teaching?”; and “What can the history of robot science fiction teach us about ethics?”.

Through their professional work and academic research, the three editors have collaborated with individuals and companies exploring the opportunities and threats posed by AI and other emerging technologies. They bring scientific, entrepreneurial, and industrial experience, allowing both general as well as technical perspectives to be considered here. In response to increasing public concern with AI ethics, this book tackles the subject in an accessible and thought-provoking format.

Part I: Introduction.- Chapter 1: Governing AI in sport: playing against algorithms?.- Chapter 2: How has thinking on such ethical questions evolved?.- Chapter 3: Why are ethical AI questions particularly pressing in today’s age?.- Part II: AI ethics in industry.- Chapter 4: How does AI fit in the space of emerging technologies (which includes e.g. quantum computing)?.- Chapter 5: What issues and opportunities does adoption of such technologies raise for businesses?.- Chapter 6: What lessons can be learned for AI ethics by analogy with other technology revolutions?.- Part III: AI ethics in philosophy.- Chapter 7: Do we really live in a “special age” with a technological singularity, perhaps already in our lifetimes, overturning what it means to be human?.- Chapter 8: How do philosophical considerations, for instance the mind-body problem and the definition of intelligence, inform practical ethical choices?.- Chapter 9: What are religious perspectives on the AI age and to what degree do they depend on the solutions of open engineering questions?.- Part IV: AI ethics in science fiction.- Chapter 10: How has the portrayal of AI and its implementation evolved in soft and hard science fiction over time, from ancient writings to modern portrayals?.- Chapter 11: To what degree do ethical and moral considerations around AI in science fiction reflect an author’s zeitgeist?.- Chapter 12: How do the considerations vary when considering near-term vs. long-term fiction?.- Chapter 13: Conclusion.

Dr. Frederik F. Flöther is Chief Quantum Officer at QuantumBasel and a member of the University of Basel Center for Quantum Computing and Quantum Coherence (QC2). Frederik previously held roles at IBM and was responsible for healthcare and life sciences at IBM Quantum. He was also elected to the IBM Academy of Technology and appointed Master Inventor and Qiskit Advocate. Frederik’s research interests include technological applications as well as philosophical and societal implications of quantum computing and AI. He holds a PhD in physics with a focus on photonic quantum computing from the University of Cambridge as well as a professional certificate in quantum computing applications from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Frederik has authored over 50 filed patents, peer-reviewed publications, book chapters, and white papers.

Dr. Maria Fay is AI Lead at SAP Switzerland AG and Guest Researcher at the European Research Center for Information Systems / University of Münster. With over a decade of global experience in business and technology consulting, Maria has been advising organizations on the adoption of emerging technologies, most recently focusing on AI. She holds degrees in business economics, informatics, and sustainability, and earned her PhD researching how big data analytics creates business value. Maria has lectured on digital business models and serves on multiple advisory boards. She is also a podcast host on sustainability topics, an active mentor, and a passionate advocate for ethical and inclusive innovation.

Dr. Christian Hugo Hoffmann is an AI entrepreneur. He holds a PhD in finance from the University of St. Gallen. His first company, based on his doctoral project, was dedicated to a risk management solution using AI. Specifically, it integrated non-classical approaches of formal epistemology such as Wolfgang Spohn's ranking theory or fuzzy logic for medium-sized and smaller banks. Since then, Christian has worked in executive positions in Switzerland and has co-founded companies in Germany, Switzerland, and Malawi. His current enterprises include the real estate company House of Lab Science, and he also serves as head of the AI Startup Center in Zurich. He actively advocates more AI responsibility in his writings, speeches, and practical entrepreneurship.