Technology in the Workplace Artificial Intelligence

1. Teget Aydin Ellie Easse Jesse Rittner Technology in the WorkplaceArtificial Intelligence

2. Technology in the Workplace • Monitoring employees • “An ethical dilemma arises from employers potentially viewing personal employee information and respecting privacy rights” (Lister). • Teleworking • “Just because technology allows an employer to access her employees and request work at all times of the day, doesn't mean that it's the ethical thing to do” (Lister). • Using company property for personal use • “Ethical problems arise when an employee chooses to use these pieces of equipment for non-work-related reasons, including searching for a new job or accepting personal calls” (Lister). • Social network sites • “Monitoring employee social networking webpages has become a popular tactic for management and business owners” (Lister).

3. Teleworking • Some positions work better than others • “It started to really not work at all to not have your main accounting person in the building” (qtd in Gardella). • Unfair – not all jobs can be done from home • “For someone to work from home, you have to trust that they’re going to do what they need to do” (qtd in Gardella).

4. Teleworking • Should employees be allowed to work remotely from home?

5. Teleworking (Kantianism) • Employer could expect employee to work at any time when they are home, thus treating them as means to an end. • Conclusion: unethical

6. Teleworking (Act Utilitarianism) • Pros • More time with family • Better work environment • No commute --> good for environment • Increased productivity (?) • Cons • Decreased productivity (?) • Other employees may become resentful • Conclusion: ethical

7. Teleworking (Rule Utilitarianism) • Pros • Less traffic • Less pollution • Reduced absenteeism • Employees need not live near work • Save money (clothing, commute, etc.) • Cons • Employees that cannot work from home resentful • Sensitive information insecure • Difficult to schedule team meetings • Less visible to management (promotions, etc.) • Conclusion: ethical

8. Artificial Intelligence • Personal AI = “a machine that is conscious of its own existence” (Quinn 456) • Many ethical issues regarding the use of robots and artificial intelligence are hotly debated • Who pays for damages when a driverless car gets into an accident? • Should a drone fire on a house where a target is known to be hiding, which may also be sheltering civilians? • Should a driverless car swerve to avoid pedestrians if that means hitting other vehicles or endangering its occupants? • Should a robot involved in disaster recovery tell people the truth about what is happening if that risks causing a panic? • Who decides how the AI makes moral decisions?

9. AI Ethical Discussion • Should a robot involved in disaster recovery tell people the truth about what is happening if that risks causing a panic?

10. AI (Kantianism) • Lying to people to maintain public order = using them as a means to an end • If all disaster recovery robots lied, no one would believe them • Conclusion: unethical

11. AI (Act Utilitarianism) • Pros • Prevent panic • Save lives • Cons • Lose lives • Conclusion: inconclusive

12. AI (Rule Utilitarianism) • Pros • Save lives • Prevent some panics • Cons • No one trusts such robots • May still cause panics • Conclusion: inconclusive

13. AI (Social Contract Theory) • Do people have a fundamental right to the truth even if it could put them in danger? • Conclusion: unethical

14. Works Cited http://smallbusiness.chron.com/effects-technology-work-ethics-18716.html http://boss.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/03/19/the-truth-about-working-from-home/ http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/26/science/26robot.html?_r=0 http://www.economist.com/node/21556234 http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/oct/20/artificial-intelligence-impact-lives