2025.Mar.18

REPORTS

Report on the Interactive Workshop by Steph Wright: “Ethics Challenge!”

The interactive workshop “Ethics Challenge!” by Steph Wright offered participants a dynamic exploration of ethical frameworks, artificial intelligence (AI), and their intersection. The workshop was thoughtfully structured into four main parts: 1) What is ethics all about? 2) What is AI all about? 3) a Pub Quiz! competition, and 4) a final Summary/Q&A session. Each section engaged attendees in critical thinking, interactive discussion, and hands-on problem-solving, making for an insightful and memorable event.

In the first part, Steph grounded the discussion by introducing the fundamental question: “What are ethics? What is virtue?” She highlighted the distinction between theoretical and applied ethics, emphasizing the latter as central to navigating human-technology dilemmas in our contemporary world. Using the famous Trolley Problem (see https://neal.fun/absurd-trolley-problems/), which presents moral dilemmas about sacrificing one life to save multiple others, Steph demonstrated how ethical perceptions differ across cultures. These differences reinforce the importance of beginning AI development with universally respected core values, such as human rights, to build systems that are both trustworthy and inclusive.

The second part delved into the critical question: What is AI all about? Steph began by explaining AI’s definition and scope, noting its wide-ranging impact across industries and daily life. She highlighted the potential of AI to transform society through innovation but cautioned about the risks associated with unchecked development, including ethical concerns like bias, privacy breaches, and environmental costs. Steph also addressed the importance of understanding AI not just as a technological tool but as a deeply human endeavor—one shaped by the priorities, values, and decisions of those who create and deploy it. This segment illuminated how ethical development requires collaborative effort across technical, legal, and philosophical domains to ensure AI systems benefit society equitably.

The third part—the lively Pub Quiz!—engaged participants in a fun and challenging competition. The quiz had four rounds, each focusing on different aspects of AI ethics. The first round featured six multiple-choice questions about AI-related issues, ranging from bias and regulation to its societal and environmental impacts. The second and third rounds presented hypothetical case studies—addressing AI discrimination in recruitment and more complex issues like privacy and cultural differences—requiring participants to identify ethical concerns and propose solutions. The final round, a rapid-fire true-or-false section, tested participants’ ability to think quickly under pressure. Throughout the quiz, teamwork and critical thinking were key, making for an exciting and competitive experience.

The workshop concluded with a Summary/Q&A session, providing an opportunity for participants to reflect on key takeaways and engage in further discussion with Steph. One participant raised a particularly stimulating question about how cultural differences shape awareness of AI ethics. While Japan, known for its widespread adoption of AI and robotics, often exhibits a strong consumer-industry alignment on ethical AI use, there exists a paradox: major tech companies, despite championing ethical AI, sometimes produce biased models. This observation sparked thoughtful dialogue about the intersection of technology, capitalism, and ethics, underscoring the complexity of ensuring responsible AI development across cultures.

Overall, the workshop was highly engaging and thought-provoking, blending in-depth discussion with interactive activities to deepen participants’ understanding of ethical challenges in AI. Attendees from diverse backgrounds not only gained valuable insights into applied ethics and AI but also expressed enthusiasm for incorporating these principles into their own fields. Steph’s approachable style and expertise created an enjoyable and intellectually stimulating environment that left participants energized and inspired.