Responsible AI by Design: Embedding Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Values into AI Development Practices

Responsible AI has emerged as a critical concern in Information Systems research, centered on embedding principles such as fairness, accountability, and transparency into the development of AI systems. The integration of these principles, particularly those of diversity, equity, and inclusion into everyday design practices remains inconsistent and under-theorized, leaving a gap between ethical aspiration and implementation. To address this, we draw on Value-Belief-Norm theory to model how personal DEI values translate into ethical development behavior. Using survey data from 194 AI professionals, we test a model where personal values influence awareness of consequences, moral responsibility, and personal norms, which in turn predicts the adoption of inclusive AI practices. All hypothesized relationships are supported, underscoring the importance of individual-level moral cognition in operationalizing RAI. This study advances IS scholarship by shifting the analytical focus from institutional governance to the cognitive and motivational mechanisms through which ethical AI is enacted in practice.