UNESCO panel calls for ethics to be core of emerging tech, not an afterthought

Will emerging technologies serve humanity or undermine it? It depends on whether ethics leads innovation or struggles to catch up.

WSIS+20 panellists warn that AI will favour the skilled, not the automated.

At the WSIS+20 High-Level Event in Geneva, UNESCO hosted a session titled ‘Ethics in AI: Shaping a Human-Centred Future in the Digital Age,’ where global experts warned that ethics must be built into the foundation of emerging technologies such as AI, neurotechnology, and quantum computing—not added later as damage control.

UNESCO’s Chief of Bioethics and Ethics of Science and Technology, Dafna Feinholz, stressed that ethical considerations should shape technology development from the start, echoing the organisation’s mission to safeguard human rights and freedoms alongside scientific innovation.

Panellists underscored the tension between individual intentions and institutional realities. Philosopher Mira Wolf-Bauwens argued that while developers often begin with a sense of moral responsibility, corporate pressures quickly override these principles.

Drawing from her work in the quantum sector, she described how companies dilute ethical concerns into mere legal compliance, eroding their original purpose. Neuroscientist and entrepreneur Ryota Kanai echoed this concern, sharing how the rush to commercialise neurotechnology has led to premature products that risk undermining public trust, especially when privacy risks remain poorly understood.

The session also highlighted success stories in ethical governance, such as Thailand’s efforts to implement UNESCO’s AI ethics framework. Chaichana Mitrpant, leading the country’s digital policy agency, described a localised yet uncompromised approach that engaged multiple stakeholders—from regulators to small businesses. The collaborative model helped tailor global ethical guidelines to national realities while maintaining core human values.

Panellists agreed that while regulation plays a role, ethics must remain broader, more agile, and focused on motivation rather than just rule enforcement. With technologies evolving faster than laws can adapt, anticipatory governance, cross-sector collaboration, and inclusive debate were hailed as essential. The session closed with a shared call to action: embedding ethics in every stage of technology development is not just ideal—it’s urgently necessary to build a trustworthy digital future.

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