# Essay Outline **Introduction** - **Define Artificial General Intelligence (AGI):** Explain what it is and its capabilities (e.g., surpassing human performance in many cognitive tasks). - **Thesis Statement:** Clearly articulate your central argument about the ethical implications of AGI. This could emphasize concerns, a balance of risks and benefits, or proposed solutions. - "While potentially beneficial, the development of AGI must be grounded in deontological principles due to the technology's potential impact on human autonomy." **Body Paragraphs** Here's a suggested structure, but feel free to adjust as your research leads you: - **Potential Benefits:** - Discuss how AGI could improve aspects of life such as healthcare, scientific research, resource management, etc. - Consider both direct problem-solving applications and accelerating innovation in other fields. - **Ethical Concerns and Risks:** - **Bias and Discrimination:** How AGI trained on biased data can perpetuate harmful stereotypes and unfair decision-making. - Example (Criminal Sentencing Tool/Hiring Algorithm) - Choose one that was covered in class - Analysis (Deontology, Utilitarian, or other?) - Pick the framework you'll apply - Possible New Insight? - Jot down any question or idea sparked by the example - **Autonomous Systems:** AGI-powered weapons, potential for loss of human control, and the "accountability gap". - **Economic Disruption and Inequality:** Potential for widespread job displacement and social unrest. - **Manipulation and Surveillance:** The power of AGI to influence opinions, spread propaganda, and erode privacy. - **Ethical Frameworks and Strategies** - **Deontology:** Emphasize universal rules and values; discuss AGI in terms of respect for persons, human dignity, and potential rights for intelligent machines. - **Utilitarianism:** Weigh potential good and harm from AGI; consider the distribution of benefits and who might be disproportionately disadvantaged. - **Codes of Conduct and Regulation:** Analyze existing ethical codes for computer scientists and AI researchers (ACM, IEEE, etc.). Discuss how they might need to be revised and whether stricter regulation is needed. - **Importance of Cyberethics:** Highlight this field as the direct focus on ethical issues arising from technology. Discuss how insights from Cyberethics can shape AGI. - **Fallacies to Avoid:** Be aware of logical fallacies that might arise when discussing the topic (e.g., slippery slope arguments, appeals to nature, etc.) **Conclusion** - Restate your thesis considering the evidence and arguments presented. - Highlight the complexity of the ethical landscape of AGI, emphasizing the need for ongoing dialogue and multi-disciplinary approaches. - Propose recommendations or areas for future work, such as interdisciplinary collaboration, investment in ethical AI research, and the development of comprehensive ethical guidelines.