How Generative AI May Save Us – Building a Global Ethical Philosophy

Unlike traditional AI systems, generative AI goes beyond simple algorithms and instead incorporates machine learning and data analytics to constantly improve its functionality. Unlike traditional AI systems, generative AI is self-improving, dynamic technology that includes a more sustainable framework. Here’s the problem.

How it improves is the question. Generative artificial intelligence steers algorithms capable of generating text, images, code in operations to make considered decisions. The next phase, regenerative AI make decisions on growth and improvement. This is unsettling but stay with me.

We know that governments and organizations are well advised to consider technology ethics on a global scale now. The first step, determining a universal ethos. Recent research and investigation suggest civilization cannot build a global ethical standard – I suggest it is certainly a human possibility and an imperative.

Civilization does share ethical interests. It would seem reasonable for business, governments, and justice systems to consider all moral and ethical philosophies across the globe and search for common threads:

African / Ubuntu – A moral compass that fosters a communal approach and preserves the wellbeing of the community. Focus on “we”

Islamic / Sharia – grounded in Qur’an and Hadith centers principles like honesty (kejujuran), justice (keadilan), trust (amanah), and social responsibility

Indian / dharmic – the purpose of business profit is to maximize collective welfare and advocates motivation to act without selfish attachment to results (Nishkāma Karma)

Japanese moral approach – An ethical ideal that is tied to community engagement and with stakeholder conception of the industry and firm.

Chinese context – Confucianism, Daoism, and East Asian Buddhism fostered by the philosophy of Ti–Yong or Chinese focus to nurture the essence nurture responsible leaders

American Indigenous – holistic, community-focused, and nature-centric worldviews rather than abstract, universal rules. Focus on “we”.

Western – The greatest good for the greatest number (Utilitarian), corporate social responsibility grounded in transparency, honesty, compliance.

A uniting ethical code is not impossible. We need to start somewhere, keep basic, and incorporate those common characteristics important in creating a global human code of ethics that can guide generative intelligence. The code must be thin and not a new creation delivered by think tank composite. Common ties such shared concern for the safety and preservation of environment and humanity seem a pretty good start. The message: civilization must establish internal and external guidelines around the use of generative AI to adopt a human-centric approach to scaling technology to protect the future of civilization. 

How we proceed with generative AI will shape our future and the future of generations to come. So, the question cuts both ways: will AI acquire practical wisdom, or will it deskill ours? The choice is ours.