"Artificial Intelligence" and social sustainability Ethical principles for AI technologies as solutions for reducing poverty and inequality?

The development of artificial intelligence (AI) and increasingly broad access for all is associated with great hopes and equally great fears – also with regard to social opportunities. Therefore, there are numerous concepts and recommendations on ethical justifiability in the use of AI systems, but no concrete regulations for their implementation. The author examines these concepts and recommendations with regard to their contribution to the reduction of inequalities and poverty. To this end, he examines AI initiatives of the European Union (e.g. the Ethics Guidelines for Trustworthy AI, the White Paper on Artificial Intelligence or the Proposal for an AI Act) and global AI initiatives (e.g. the AI Ethics Recommendations of UNESCO, the OECD and the IEEE – Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) as well as corresponding plans in Brazil as a representative of the Global South for their references to social sustainability. His conclusion: Through the use of AI, productivity gains and economic growth are just as possible as job losses. In order for AI to achieve social sustainability goals, it must be developed, designed and used accordingly. This requires instruments and their binding application in the use of AI systems. Otherwise, AI would reproduce existing conditions or even reinforce imbalances. (Ed.)