Carissa Kazyss, Rollie Stanich
(Canada)

Title of contribution:

Integral Ethics in the Age of AI

Where & when:

Integral Ethics in the Age of AI

As technological innovations in general, and AI advances in particular, accelerate and proliferate, the question of an adequate ethics becomes paramount. While AI holds promise for society, in fact nine companies effectively control the field, potentially prioritizing shareholder return or government mandate over an ethical concern for all (Webb, 2019). There is credible fear that AI will automate many jobs, and considering the high barrier to entry, AI is seen to accentuate the gap between rich and poor. AI has been blamed for debasing the level of social discourse online. Scientists such as Stephen Hawking have speculated that Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) could be “Our Final Invention.”

An Integral approach can help to bring an ethical dimension to the potentials of AI in several ways. The Basic Moral Intuition can guide decisions toward the greatest depth for the greatest span (Wilber, 2001). The four quadrants can be helpful for “tetra-meshing” AI with all aspects of life: experience, behaviour, culture, and systems. Integral theory reminds us that technologies created from a given level of development will not necessarily be wielded from that same level, and that solutions to our current challenges are often seen more clearly from later levels. As an important innovation with potential global impact, AI must be handled with extreme care. This presentation will describe how an Integral approach can help to mitigate its pitfalls while supporting its potentials.

Names of co-contributor: Rollie Stanich

Rollie Stanich worked closely with Ken Wilber in the formative years of Integral Institute, in the roles of Managing Editor of Integral Naked and inaugural Chief Facilitator of Integral Spiritual Center, and is considered to be among his senior students. He is presently Chief Intelligence Officer of a non-thermal plasma energy company, and is developing an Integral Internet platform called Metamind. Stanich has just had his first book published—Integral Christianity: The Way of Embodied Love, with Foreword by Ken Wilber

About Carissa Kazyss

Carissa Kazyss is co-chair of the Human Data Commons, a non-profit dedicated to the integration of tech, ethics and consciousness, and is a co-igniter of the ParTecK Network. Carissa has a Master’s of Integral Psychology from JFK University, and a Masters of Natural Resources Management. Carissa also contributes to two start-ups, supporting highly sensitive individuals and those looking for greater meaning and purpose.