Ethical Aspects of the Impact of AI: the Status of Humans in the Era of Artificial Intelligence

On the one hand, AI is a functional tool for emancipating people from routine work tasks, thus expanding the possibilities of their self-realization and the utilization of individual interests and aspirations through more meaningful spending of time. On the other hand, there are undisputable risks associated with excessive machine autonomy and limited human control, based on the insufficient ability to monitor the performance of these systems and to prevent errors or damage (Floridi et al. Minds & Machines 28, 689–707, 2018). In connection with the use of ethical principles in the research and development of artificial intelligence, the question of the social control of science and technology opens out into an analysis of the opportunities and risks that technological progress can mean for security, democracy, environmental sustainability, social ties and community life, value systems, etc. For this reason, it is necessary to identify and analyse the aspects of artificial intelligence that could have the most significant impact on society. The present text is focused on the application of artificial intelligence in the context of the market and service sector, and the related process of exclusion of people from the development, production and distribution of goods and services. Should the application of artificial intelligence be subject to value frameworks, or can the application of AI be sufficiently regulated by the market on its own?