Placing Ethics at the Center: IE University Launches UNESCO Chair in AI Ethics and Governance

At the launch event, key voices, from academia to industry, called for a thoughtful approach to AI that places ethics at the centre, going beyond safety, trustworthy, responsible or value-aligned AI alone. Through multidisciplinary research, international partnerships, and educational efforts, the Chair will serve as a model for AI ethics, empowering informed citizens to take an active role in AI discussions, policy and governance.

In a world transformed by AI, the UNESCO Chair in AI Ethics & Governance at IE University sets a visionary path, promoting ethics and democratic values in technology.

The launch event of the UNESCO Chair in AI Ethics & Governance hosted by IE University began with a welcome by IE University Provost Manuel Muñiz, followed by an opening speech by Gabriela Ramos, Assistant Director-General for Social and Human Sciences of UNESCO and Dafna Feinholz, UNESCO's Director for Research, Ethics, and Inclusion.

Without the contributions of universities like IE, our work on the ethics of AI would be incomplete. It is through partnerships like this that we can truly lead the global effort to ensure that AI technologies enhance democracy, advancing citizen engagement in democratic processes and benefiting all of humanity.

Throughout the evening, experts and audience members explored AI's impact on democracy, among other subjects, with a central keynote from the Chairholder, Professor Theodore Lechterman. Prof Lechterman'stalk, The Problem of 'Ethicophobia' in AI Governance, delved into a crucial issue: the resistance within some AI circles to place ethics at the centreof the discussion. His perspective highlighted the necessity to "engage in actual moral reasoning, to do ethics."

UNESCO Chair in AI Ethics & Governance at IE University embraces UNESCO's holistic and dynamic understanding of AI Ethics. The Chair is set to confront these challenges through three key initiatives. First, it will leadmultidisciplinary research with an initial focus on four priority areas: AI and the future of democracy, the distribution of power over AI, AI and work, and AI for good. Second, the Chair is committed to ensuring every IE University student receives a robust foundation in AI ethics before graduating. Finally, the Chair will emphasiseNorth-South collaboration, partnering closely with the University of Pretoria in South Africa and Universidad de losAndes in Colombia. Together, these pillars aim to foster a broad, inclusive dialogue on AI's role in society and to empower citizens worldwide to participate in shaping AI governance.

The Chair is part of UNESCO's UNITWIN/UNESCO Chairs Programme, which, for over three decades, has built networks and collaborations among universities across the globe. Since 1992, this program has linked over 1,000 Chairs in over 120 countries, promoting knowledge co-creation and fostering ties between academia, civil society, and policymakers to address today's global challenges. This collaborative framework sets the stage for the Chair at IE University to lead with UNESCO's vision.

To comprehensively assess AI's impact on our democracies, UNESCO commissioned an analysis to Daniel Innerarity, who, in collaboration with the Chair on Artificial Intelligence and Democracy at the Florence School of Transnational Governance of the European University Institute and the Institute of Democratic Governance of San Sebastian, produced a critical report. Quoting Prof Innerarity, Dr Feinholzstated, "There is no democracy without informed citizens capable of critically monitoring those in power." This insight underscores the Chair's commitment to creating an informed public capable of contributing meaningfully to AI governance decisions.

A panel discussion featuring voices from across fields-including Linda Eggert from the University of Oxford, David Leslie from the Alan Turing Institute, Luz Rello from IE University, and Oliver Smith from Daedalus Futures-further highlighted the importance of placing ethics at the centrewhen addressing the challenges posed by AI. Each speaker brought a unique perspective, examining AI's ethical frontiers from philosophical, technical, and societal viewpoints.

The launch event hosted by IE University ended with the closing remarks by IE School of Humanities Dean Catalina Tejero. Both Provost Muñiz and Dean Tejero highlighted the importance of an interdisciplinary approach in their speeches. Dean Tejero emphasised: "the need to address contemporary societal challenges through the lens of humanities."

Learn more about this transformative journey and explore UNESCO's work on the ethics of AI.