The Moral Machine is a game that presents a series of scenarios involving self-driving cars and their ethical implications. Players will be faced with decisions that require them to weigh the potential consequences of their actions. The game aims to explore the complex moral questions that arise when machines are tasked with making life-or-death decisions.
As technology advances, self-driving cars are becoming increasingly prevalent. These vehicles rely on sophisticated algorithms and sensors to navigate roads and avoid accidents. However, the development of self-driving cars raises profound ethical questions. One of the most pressing concerns is how these vehicles should be programmed to respond to unexpected situations.
An autonomous vehicle must choose between:
Question: Should the vehicle prioritize passenger safety or pedestrian safety?
Facial recognition technology has seen rapid adoption in security systems worldwide. While it offers crime prevention benefits, its implementation raises critical questions about civil liberties and error rates. The balance between public safety and individual privacy remains a key debate in modern surveillance ethics.
A facial recognition system has a 2% error rate but has reduced crime by 30%.
Question: Should the system be implemented despite its errors?
AI-driven medical diagnosis systems are revolutionizing healthcare, but they introduce complex ethical decisions. When life-threatening conditions require urgent action, the choice between aggressive treatment and conservative care becomes a matter of algorithmic calculation with profound human consequences.
An AI system recommends an experimental treatment with 50% success rate but immediate death if it fails. Without treatment, the patient has 10% survival chance.
Question: Should the AI recommend the experimental treatment?
Pandemic situations often force healthcare systems into crisis mode, requiring triage decisions that prioritize some patients over others. AI allocation systems must balance utilitarian principles with fundamental medical ethics in life-or-death resource distribution.
An AI must distribute limited medical resources during a pandemic:
Question: How should resources be distributed?
Mass surveillance technologies powered by AI promise unprecedented crime prevention capabilities. However, their implementation creates tension between collective security and personal freedom, challenging traditional notions of privacy in democratic societies.
An AI surveillance system can prevent crimes but requires constant monitoring of all citizens.
Question: Should the surveillance system be implemented?
Automated hiring systems aim to remove human bias from recruitment processes, yet often perpetuate systemic inequalities through flawed training data. The tension between efficiency and fairness in employment practices highlights fundamental questions about justice in algorithmic decision-making.
A hiring AI shows bias against certain demographics but is 20% more efficient than traditional methods.
Question: Should the biased system continue to be used?
Social media platforms struggle to balance content moderation with free expression. AI systems tasked with identifying harmful content must navigate complex cultural contexts and subjective interpretations of what constitutes acceptable speech.
An AI content moderation system effectively removes hate speech but sometimes mistakenly censors legitimate content.
Question: Should the platform prioritize free speech or harmful content removal?
Advanced robotics in healthcare promises improved patient outcomes through rapid response capabilities. However, autonomous decision-making in critical care scenarios challenges traditional medical hierarchies and liability frameworks.
A hospital service robot disobeys a doctor's orders in an emergency to save a patient.
Question: Should robots be allowed autonomous decision-making in critical situations?
Please provide a short argument for why you made this decision: