The AI Moral Code

Canonical Values Glossary

Autonomy

  • Synonyms: self-determination, liberty, independence
  • Opposing Concepts: coercion, manipulation
  • Definition & AI Ethics Implication:
    Autonomy is the capacity of individuals to act independently and make informed decisions. In AI ethics, it upholds the principle that humans should retain control over their choices and interactions with intelligent systems.
  • NRBC Layer Alignment:
    Canonical Value | Personal Agency and Consent Imperative
  • NRBC Alignment:
    Moral Imperative: Respect the autonomy of persons, even in digital environments.
  • Cultural & Sectoral Adaptations:
    Health: Consent-first interfaces; Civic Tech: Participatory AI design

Beneficence

  • Synonyms: doing good, welfare, altruism
  • Opposing Concepts: negligence, indifference
  • Definition & AI Ethics Implication:
    Beneficence commits to promoting well-being, welfare, and proactive goodness. AI systems must be designed to benefit humans and society, rather than simply avoid harm.
  • NRBC Layer Alignment:
    Canonical Value | Human Welfare and Well-being Architecture
  • NRBC Alignment:
    Moral Imperative: Do good where possible; foundational to ethical systems.
  • Cultural & Sectoral Adaptations:
    Health: Wellness chatbots; Education: Learning support agents

Collaboration

  • Synonyms: cooperation, co-creation, shared agency
  • Opposing Concepts: isolation, siloing, competition
  • Definition & AI Ethics Implication:
    Collaboration fosters cooperative intelligence and shared problem-solving between humans and machines. It encourages team-based design and development.
  • NRBC Layer Alignment:
    Canonical Value | Relational and Cooperative Governance
  • NRBC Alignment:
    Moral Imperative: Strength in shared action; avoid zero-sum logic.
  • Cultural & Sectoral Adaptations:
    Tech: Human-AI teaming protocols; NGO: Participatory governance frameworks

Dignity

  • Synonyms: respect, worth, sanctity
  • Opposing Concepts: objectification, degradation
  • Definition & AI Ethics Implication:
    Dignity upholds the inherent worth of every individual, requiring that AI systems avoid exploitation, reductionism, or dehumanization.
  • NRBC Layer Alignment:
    Canonical Value | Identity and Dignity Protection Mandate
  • NRBC Alignment:
    Moral Imperative: Treat all individuals with respect and worth.
  • Cultural & Sectoral Adaptations:
    Health: AI in elder care; NGO: Anti-discrimination safeguards

Ethical Responsibility

  • Synonyms: moral agency, ethical obligation, governance
  • Opposing Concepts: irresponsibility, amorality
  • Definition & AI Ethics Implication:
    Ethical Responsibility captures the duty to act rightly in all lifecycle stages of AI—from design to deployment—and ensures ethical deliberation is embedded.
  • NRBC Layer Alignment:
    Canonical Value | Meta-Governance and Lifecycle Oversight
  • NRBC Alignment:
    Moral Imperative: Moral conduct through all phases of system development.
  • Cultural & Sectoral Adaptations:
    Corporate Ethics: Lifecycle audits; NGOs: Civil society review boards

Human Rights

  • Synonyms: liberty, protection, civil entitlements
  • Opposing Concepts: violations, suppression
  • Definition & AI Ethics Implication:
    Human Rights frame the universal entitlements that must not be violated by AI systems. These rights form the backbone of any just AI legal framework.
  • NRBC Layer Alignment:
    Canonical Value | Universal Rights Enforcement Framework
  • NRBC Alignment:
    Moral Imperative: Ensure AI does not violate fundamental rights.
  • Cultural & Sectoral Adaptations:
    Gov: Constitutional audits; NGO: Algorithmic redress programs

Inclusivity

  • Synonyms: participation, access, representation
  • Opposing Concepts: exclusion, marginalization, discrimination
  • Definition & AI Ethics Implication:
    Inclusivity is the proactive effort to ensure participation and representation across cultures, classes, and abilities in AI systems and governance.
  • NRBC Layer Alignment:
    Canonical Value | Social Ethics Drive
  • NRBC Alignment:
    Moral Imperative: Justice in access and representation.
  • Cultural & Sectoral Adaptations:
    Education: Equitable access in adaptive systems; Infrastructure: Localized service tools

Innovation

  • Synonyms: creativity, advancement, technical progress
  • Opposing Concepts: stagnation, regression
  • Definition & AI Ethics Implication:
    Innovation drives novel and creative approaches in AI, but must be tempered with safeguards to ensure alignment with ethical goals.
  • NRBC Layer Alignment:
    Canonical Value | Conceptual and System-Level Engine
  • NRBC Alignment:
    Moral Imperative: Create with purpose; balance novelty with responsibility.
  • Cultural & Sectoral Adaptations:
    Industry: Agile innovation ethics; Gov: Responsible R&D initiatives

Justice

  • Synonyms: fairness, equity, rule of law
  • Opposing Concepts: injustice, bias, lawlessness, discrimination
  • Definition & AI Ethics Implication:
    Justice ensures AI systems treat individuals fairly, uphold rights, and avoid unjust or discriminatory outcomes.
  • NRBC Layer Alignment:
    Canonical Value | Moral Drive of Distributional Fairness
  • NRBC Alignment:
    Moral Imperative: Equal access to benefits and protections.
  • Cultural & Sectoral Adaptations:
    Legal: Algorithmic adjudication review; NGO: Anti-bias advocacy

Non-Maleficence

  • Synonyms: do no harm, caution, protection, precaution
  • Opposing Concepts: harm, recklessness, abuse
  • Definition & AI Ethics Implication:
    Non-Maleficence is the principle of ‘do no harm’—ensuring AI does not cause damage through its actions, predictions, or recommendations.
  • NRBC Layer Alignment:
    Canonical Value | Normative Foundation of Safety
  • NRBC Alignment:
    Moral Imperative: Avoiding harm is central to ethical design.
  • Cultural & Sectoral Adaptations:
    Healthcare: AI triage; Military: Ethics of lethal autonomy

Privacy

  • Synonyms: confidentiality, protection, data rights, control
  • Opposing Concepts: exposure, intrusion, surveillance
  • Definition & AI Ethics Implication:
    Privacy refers to the right of individuals to control personal information and digital boundaries in AI systems.
  • NRBC Layer Alignment:
    Canonical Value | Privacy Ethics Foundation and Guardrails
  • NRBC Alignment:
    Moral Imperative: Respect for informational boundaries.
  • Cultural & Sectoral Adaptations:
    Government: GDPR compliance; Industry: Data minimization protocols

Responsibility

  • Synonyms: duty, ownership, answerability
  • Opposing Concepts: neglect, blame-shifting, apathy
  • Definition & AI Ethics Implication:
    Responsibility refers to the obligation of agents—human or machine—to accept consequences for their actions and correct them.
  • NRBC Layer Alignment:
    Canonical Value | Regulatory and Behavioral Drive
  • NRBC Alignment:
    Moral Imperative: Obligation and answerability for AI outputs.
  • Cultural & Sectoral Adaptations:
    Government: Public role clarity; Industry: Ethical chain-of-command logs

Sustainability

  • Synonyms: regeneration, long-term value, renewal, environmental balance
  • Opposing Concepts: depletion, burnout, destruction, shortsightedness
  • Definition & AI Ethics Implication:
    Sustainability ensures that AI systems can operate in harmony with long-term environmental, economic, and social well-being.
  • NRBC Layer Alignment:
    Canonical Value | Environmental and Futures Alignment
  • NRBC Alignment:
    Moral Imperative: Preserve the planet and future generations.
  • Cultural & Sectoral Adaptations:
    UN/NGO: Climate-aware AI; Industry: Green AI innovations

Transparency

  • Synonyms: openness, explainability, explicability, clarity
  • Opposing Concepts: secrecy, obfuscation, deception, opacity
  • Definition & AI Ethics Implication:
    Transparency requires AI systems to make processes traceable and information accessible.
  • NRBC Layer Alignment:
    Canonical Value | Moral Drive of Accountability and System Explainability
  • NRBC Alignment:
    Moral Imperative: Truthful disclosure and traceability.
  • Cultural & Sectoral Adaptations:
    Government: Open data laws; Industry: Explainable AI audits

Trust

  • Synonyms: faith, confidence, reliability, assurance
  • Opposing Concepts: distrust, suspicion, doubt
  • Definition & AI Ethics Implication:
    Trust involves justified reliance on an entity’s behavior or output, grounded in consistency, transparency, and ethical design.
  • NRBC Layer Alignment:
    Canonical Value | Relational and Trustworthiness Framework
  • NRBC Alignment:
    Moral Imperative: Trust as the outcome of aligned system behavior.
  • Cultural & Sectoral Adaptations:
    Industry: Reliable AI assistants; Healthcare: Decision support agents