Experts discuss ethical frameworks shaped by AI

Doha, Qatar: The pressing need for cohesive ethical frameworks and policy standards across sectors shaped by the advancement of artificial intelligenc...

Doha, Qatar: The pressing need for cohesive ethical frameworks and policy standards across sectors shaped by the advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) was highlighted at a two-day conference organised by Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) in Doha.

The conference, ‘AI Ethics: The Convergence of Technology and Diverse Moral Traditions’, opened yesterday at the Qatar National Convention Centre in the presence of Chairperson of Qatar Foundation H H Sheikha Moza bint Nasser  and Vice Chairperson of Qatar Foundation H E Sheikha Hind bint Hamad Al Thani, and attended by ministers, dignitaries, and global experts.

Discussions spanned six thematic areas impacted by the AI: healthcare, urban design, security, education, finance, and the future of work, bringing together leading scholars, policymakers, and industry leaders to explore how rapid adoption of AI affects cultures, traditions, and values worldwide.

“As AI continues to transform every facet of our lives, it brings with it urgent ethical questions. From the amplification of bias to issues of underrepresentation, the challenges are complex. This conference marks a pivotal step towards building international, cross-disciplinary collaborations that can guide the ethical development of AI. The insights we gather here will help shape technologies that are not only innovative, but also inclusive and responsible,” said President of HBKU, Dr. Ahmad M. Hasnah in his opening remarks.

The opening plenary ‘AI Ethics at the Crossroads: Technology, Moral Traditions and the Future of Humanity’ underscored that AI is not merely a technological issue, but also a social, ethical, and political one. Panellists called for ethics-centred governance, cultural sensitivity, and resistance to unchecked corporate dominance, and a focus on shared global values to ensure AI serves humanity.