Ethical Technology Assessment of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT) among Gen Z Population in Thailand and the Philippines

With the use of the ethical technology assessment model by Palm and Hansson (2006), this paper examines the knowledge and perceptions about the ethics of and experiences with artificial intelligence (AI) and the internet of things (IoT) among the Generation Z population in Thailand and the Philippines. A total of 1,060 Thai and 1,499 Filipino Gen Z students participated in the online survey. Results revealed that Gen Z respondents from Thailand and the Philippines muse heavily on privacy, social contact, autonomy and control, as well as human reproduction and health issues. Moreover, both groups are most bothered by the potential ability of AI and IoT to control people’s behavior beyond their agency. Summarily, despite being “digital natives,” the Gen Z population is unoblivious about the potential harms of AI and IoT, which can undermine one’s agency and privacy. This, therefore, calls for high digital literacy so that AI and IoT users, specifically the Gen Z population, become aware of their rights and responsibilities. As a limitation, the research on which this paper is based did not examine the level of familiarity of the respondents with AI and IoT. In addition, the instrument used in the said study did not consider the culturally nuanced understanding of notions of privacy, autonomy, and the other elements of the ethical technology assessment model.