Mathematical Sciences for Artificial Intelligence

Module ETHICS OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (CFU 3) a.a. 2025/2026 Programme The course aims to address the several ethical and social issues raised by Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a new form of action and its impact on society, individuals and the environment, both in terms of risks and benefits. The proposed framework of ethical principles for the adoption of ethically and socially acceptable AI will be explained and analysed, as well as the tensions that may arise between the various values at stake. The course also aims to create awareness of the relevance of ethical reflection in all phases of the AI systems' life cycle: from their design and development to their application in everyday life. Particular attention will be devoted to the ethics of algorithms. The conceptual analysis will be supported by the discussion of practical case studies that will enable students to critically address the ethical issues of AI.

No special requirements are needed

Luciano Floridi, Etica dell’intelligenza artificiale. Sviluppi, opportunità, sfide, Raffaello Cortina Editore, Milano, 2022, except Chapter 6. Luciano Floridi (2023), AI as Agency Without Intelligence: on ChatGPT, Large Language Models, and Other Generative Models, Philosophy & Technology 36(15). Document of the European Commission, "Ethics Guidelines for Trustworthy AI", 8 April 2019, written by the High-Level Expert Group on AI, only Chapter I and Chapter II, pp. 1–27.

Although not compulsory, attendance of the course is advised.

The assessment consists of an oral examination: you will be asked to present a topic of your choice from those covered in class and included in the texts to be studied, and to answer a question on the contents of the texts to be studied.

Mario De Caro, Benedetta Giovanola, Intelligenze. Etica e politica dell'IA, il Mulino, Bologna, 2025; Paolo Benanti, Stefano Maffettone, Noi e la macchina. Un'etica per l'era digitale, LUISS University Press, Roma, 2024; Matteo Galletti, Silvano Zipoli Caiani (a cura di), Filosofia dell’Intelligenza Artificiale. Sfide etiche e teoriche, il Mulino, Bologna, 2024; Fabio Fossa, Viola Schiaffonati, Guglielmo Tamburrini (a cura di), Automi e persone. Introduzione all’etica dell’intelligenza artificiale e della robotica, Carocci editore, Roma, 2021.

The course will be organised on the basis of lectures, in which the topics on the syllabus will be analysed and the active participation of students through questions and requests for clarification will be encouraged.