Ethics for AI and Robotics

Potential deployments of AI and intelligent robots raise ethical questions about the impacts they may have on human well-being, just like other powerful tools or technologies such as nuclear power or genetic engineering.

Unlike other technologies, intelligent robots and other AIs have the potential to act, and to be considered, as members of our society. Since they will make their own decisions about the actions they take, it is appropriate for humans to expect them to behave ethically. This requires AI research with the goal of understanding the structure, content, and purpose of ethical knowledge, well enough to implement ethics in artificial agents.

What To Read First

What is the function of ethics in society?

Towards implementation at multiple time-scales

All Papers

My Class

I started teaching Ethics for AI and Robotics in Winter 2018. Now that I have retired, Elizabeth Bondi-Kelly teaches her version of CSE 543. But I got the opportunity to teach my course again during Winter 2026 while she was on leave.

My course pages still include lots of relevant information in the lecture schedule and assigned readings.


BJK