Educating with an Eye Toward Risks, Ethics of AI

Kudos to Hilary Parker ’01 for insightful discussion of Princeton’s efforts to symbiotically interact with in-region nonprofits and corporations to nurture benefits to the University and surrounding region (Partners in Regional Progress, April 2025). Given the explosive growth of Artificial Intelligence, it is understandable that Parker emphasizes benefits Princeton can garner from regional synergy in the University’s role as a partner in an incipient New Jersey AI Hub.  However,  it is no secret that AI so far has a mixed track record on several emerging societal and even ethical issues, warranting Princeton’s role include research and scholarship on best practices and reforms for AI and not too narrowly promote commercial priorities of sometimes self-interested AI developers. 

I hope and urge such an enterprise be pursued by Princeton consistent with its responsibility to act as an educational organization, which should include educating students and the general public about potential harms (not just benefits) that may be by-products of AI ranging from unprecedented proliferation of disinformation through AI systems, the risk of unethical harvesting of copyrighted content without the consent of artists and authors, massive increases in energy consumption by AI data centers and unemployment spikes in industries susceptible to AI deployment. A university should prioritize an academic approach, with a premium on critical thinking regarding AI or we risk weakening the educational model that is the foundation of our great University.