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"Wissenschaft kurz erklärt" / “Research in Brief” is a format that aims to create a shared language between academia and society, fostering a mutually enriching dialogue. By breaking down complex academic concepts into approachable terms, it encourages an open exchange where research insights and societal concerns come together. This approach ensures that research doesn’t remain confined to academic circles, but becomes a tool that empowers and informs the broader public. In this episode of “Research in Brief”, the Institute for Ethics in Technology at Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH) introduces one of its central research themes: Ethics by Design. This concept integrates ethical reflection directly into the development of new technologies, such as artificial intelligence, ensuring that innovation is guided by fairness, transparency, and accountability from the outset. 

Imagine a restaurant critic. Traditionally, this critic comes in after the meal has been prepared, judges it, and gives feedback. But what if, instead of waiting until the end, the critic was involved in the kitchen from the very beginning, helping to shape the dish itself? This is a simple way to understand how ethics used to function in technology versus how it works today. Ethicists are no longer just critics coming in at the end to evaluate the finished product, i.e. some technology like ChatGPT– they now are or at least ought to be involved throughout the entire development process, shaping the technology as it’s being created. This shift is what we call Ethics by Design.  Existing research has proposed pro-active ways to implement ethics into the development of technology, it has united conceptual, empirical, and technical perspectives, and it has explored several subfields—such as privacy by design, transparency by design, or care centred value sensitive design; and it investigated various case studies; including child–parent play, sensor-based assistive technology, online cookie management, and autonomous vehicles. Prof. Maximilian Kiener, Head of the Institute, claims that, properly understood, ethics could be a driver of technological innovation: it can be a catalyst and not just constraint on technological innovation. 

Many people think ethic is just about opinion, or a checklist. But it is actually a rigorous inquiry. Ethics is the study of right and wrong, of moral values and principles that guide human behaviour. It's about asking important questions: What’s fair? What’s just? What’s good for society? In the context of technology, ethics ensures that the tools and systems we create align with values like fairness, transparency, and responsibility. As technology advances, these questions become more crucial, since its impact reaches deep into our daily lives.  Dr Andrew Graham, member of the Advisory Board of the Institute for Ethics in Technology, political economist and the former Master of Balliol College, Oxford, Senior Fellow and Founder of the Oxford Internet Institute, emphasises the importance of this field. ‘We need to ask, why are we really doing this? These 'why' questions are important, and once you go back to the 'why,' you’re delving into ethics. As a society, we ought to talk more about the 'whys' of life—what we care about. Ethics and politics are the domains where those discussions should take place.’ 

In the past, ethical evaluations were often an afterthought in the development of new technology. The technology would be built, launched, and only later would people ask: Is this technology safe? Is it fair? Does it cause harm? But Ethics by Design changes that approach. It integrates ethical considerations from the very beginning, making ethics part of the design process itself. This means that ethicists, developers, and engineers work together to build systems that reflect ethical values, ensuring technologies are fair, safe, and inclusive before they reach the market. For example, when developing an algorithm, Ethics by Design prompts crucial questions at every stage. It begins with the very purpose of the technology: Why are we building this? In the case of autonomous vehicles, it is not just about efficiency or convenience—it is also about improving safety, making mobility accessible for people with disabilities, and enhancing sustainability. This early ethical reflection shapes the development goals and ensures a broader societal benefit. Next, during data collection, Ethics by Design asks: Is the data diverse and representative of the people affected by the technology? This prevents biased outcomes, such as medical algorithms that work better on lighter skin tones or AI systems that unfairly reject job applicants based on gender. By addressing biases in the training data, Ethics by Design ensures that the technology is equitable. The framework then tackles other critical questions, such as ensuring transparency and explainability. For instance, if an AI denies a loan application, the affected person should have the right to an explanation, as strengthened in the recent EU AI Act. But beyond transparency, Ethics by Design also emphasises the importance of human oversight and responsibility, ensuring that people remain in control of AI systems and can be held accountable if something goes wrong—such as when an autonomous car causes an accident or when an algorithm discriminates unfairly against a job applicant. Without this oversight, we risk creating responsibility gaps where responsibility becomes impossible to assign, especially in cases involving complex AI systems. This proactive, comprehensive integration of ethics into every phase of technology development ensures that new innovations are not only technically advanced but also socially responsible and just.  For example, when developing an algorithm, ethics by design asks such questions and thereby shapes technology. 

As new technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and genetic engineering rapidly develop, their power to shape society is immense. These innovations can revolutionise industries, medicine, and the way we live – but without ethical guidance, they can also lead to unintended consequences. Bias, injustice, and privacy violations are just a few of the risks.  Take AI, for example. If an AI system that predicts crime or evaluates job candidates is biased – because the data it was trained on reflects historical inequalities – it could reinforce or even worsen discrimination. By embedding ethics into the design of these systems, we can make sure they benefit everyone, not just a select few. Ethics is by design is so important because we sometimes cannot afford waiting until the end. First of all, it may then be too late. And moreover, technology is never ethically neutral. It is a mistake to think that one can first develop the technology and then think about ethics. Engineering choices, technical development inevitable incorporates ethical judgments and implications, at the very least why do we want this technology, what our are values in building and using it, etc. 

Let’s look at a futuristic healthcare system that uses AI to diagnose patients. As Prof. Dominic Wilkinson, Professor of Medical Ethics at the University of Oxford and Director of Medical Ethics at the Oxford Uehiro Institute for Practical Ethics, and collaborator at the Institute for Ethics in Technology, says: ‘Medicine has had breakthrough, also due to AI, but just because we can now do many things, should we? And that question needs to be part of the development process. Otherwise, it can be too late to turn the clocks back.’ Artificial intelligence in healthcare has incredible potential, capable of analysing vast amounts of medical data and providing fast, accurate diagnoses. However, what happens if the AI is trained using biased data? If the medical records used to train the system primarily come from wealthy patients, the needs of underrepresented or disadvantaged groups might be overlooked, leading to unfair or inaccurate diagnoses.  This is where Ethics by Design becomes essential. Instead of waiting until after the system is launched and dealing with these ethical issues later, ethicists work closely with developers from the very start. They ensure the data is diverse and representative, so the AI can deliver accurate diagnoses for all patients, regardless of their socioeconomic background or medical history. Furthermore, they build in transparency mechanisms that allow doctors and medical professionals to understand how the AI arrived at its conclusions. This transparency fosters trust, making the technology not only efficient but also reliable and equitable. Imagine Anna, a patient in 2035, visiting the hospital for a diagnosis. An AI system is used to identify the cause of her symptoms. But for the AI to serve Anna effectively, several ethical questions must have been addressed long before her visit: Were the training datasets sufficiently diverse to ensure accuracy across different patient groups? Is the AI designed to communicate its recommendations clearly to the medical team? Can Anna provide informed consent, fully understanding the AI's role in her diagnosis and treatment? Ethics by Design ensures these concerns are accounted for, creating technology that is trustworthy, transparent, and inclusive. By embedding ethics into technology from the outset, we avoid the need for costly corrections after launch and can create innovations that genuinely improve lives while upholding human rights, protecting privacy, and promoting justice. In a world where technology is evolving faster than ever, Ethics by Design is essential for ensuring that progress is not only innovative but also responsible and sustainable. 

Ethics by Design is a major focus at the Institute for Ethics in Technology at Hamburg University of Technology, founded in 2023. The Institute is committed to pioneering research and education at the intersection of ethics, analytic philosophy, and technological innovation. The ambition is to integrate the rigour and insights from philosophical ethics and humanistic inquiry into all phases of technological development, implementation, and use, especially those connected to artificial intelligence. In addition to our expertise in philosophy, we also work in art history and media studies to understand the multiple facets of technology and the engagement of society and humanistic inquiries. The work in media studies, led by the Institute’s Dr Oliver Schmidt, explores how technological advancements have historically shaped media and continue to influence modern-day forms, with a particular focus on how AI and human-machine interactions are represented in film. This helps uncover societal values and concerns related to technology. The work in art, involving Dr Imke Hofmeister at the Institute, investigates how technological innovations foster new artistic expressions, challenging traditional concepts of authorship and creativity. From interactive digital art to High-Tech architecture, this division demonstrates how art critically engages with technology, offering reflective insights into how both fields influence one another. The philosophy of creativity is also a major concern for the Institute’s Dr Jonas Bozenhard, who explores how AI challenges conventional understandings of creativity and authorship, bringing together considerations from philosophy, art, and technology. Together, these components complement the institute’s core mission by showing how philosophical ethics, media, and art intersect to shape and reflect societal responses to technological change. The institute’s mission aligns with TUHH’s broader vision of ‘Technology for Humanity.’ While TUHH is renowned for its excellence in engineering and computer science, the institute enhances this technical expertise with a strong foundation in ethical inquiry, ensuring that technological advancements contribute positively to society and uphold human dignity. By fostering close collaboration between engineers, computer scientists, and philosophers, the institute helps guide the responsible and sustainable development of technology.