In Tech, What Is Right to Do?
6 months ago
- #ethics
- #responsibility
- #technology
- Sam Altman announced OpenAI's ChatGPT will allow 'erotica', sparking backlash.
- Altman defended the decision by stating OpenAI is not the 'moral police' and aims to allow more user freedom for adults.
- The author highlights a growing trend in tech where individuals claim their roles are technical, not ethical, distancing themselves from moral responsibility.
- This mindset is compared to Hannah Arendt's concept of 'the banality of evil', where moral disengagement occurs through neutrality or obedience.
- The author argues that ethics and morality are personal decisions, not just corporate ones, and that individuals must take responsibility for their actions.
- Technology's pervasive impact on human life and the planet necessitates greater reflection on the consequences of tech developments.
- The author suggests setting higher ethical standards in tech, starting with questioning the purpose ('why?') rather than just the feasibility ('why not?').
- A quote from Shirley Chisholm underscores the challenge morality faces against profit.