Moral reasoning and usefulness of technologies that violate fundamental human rights

Purpose The development of artificial intelligence (AI) requires careful reflection. With advances in AI, there is a growing realization that some basic parameters of the human condition will change in the future, desirably or undesirably. AI technologies are neither good nor bad, but we must make a societal choice to embed fundamental human rights and democratic values when we design and use such technologies. A tool that can empower can also become a tool for mass surveillance or a tool for perpetuating discrimination. With promises of AI, we as a society must address its failings as well. In this paper, the author aims to propose that our morality may well weigh on the principled judgment on such technologies. Design/methodology/approach The paper uses the moral stages and the moral foundations theories to empirically explore whether people with particular moral orientations are likely to be at odds judging the usefulness of modern technologies that violate the rights to privacy or nondiscrimination. Findings The paper finds that the moral foundations theory has more explanatory power in the context of how people perceive the usefulness of AI technologies that violate fundamental human rights of privacy and nondiscrimination. Originality/value To the best of the author’s knowledge, this paper is an initial attempt linking morality with modern technologies that violate fundamental human rights of privacy and nondiscrimination.