Tzu Chi Medical Journal 2020; 32(4): 339–343

Review Article

The impact of artificial intelligence on human society and bioethics

Michael Cheng‑Tek Tai*

Department of Medical
Sociology and Social Work,
Abstract
College of Medicine, Chung Artificial intelligence  (AI), known by some as the industrial revolution  (IR) 4.0, is going
Shan Medical University, to change not only the way we do things, how we relate to others, but also what we know
Taichung, Taiwan about ourselves. This article will first examine what AI is, discuss its impact on industrial,
social, and economic changes on humankind in the 21st century, and then propose a set of
principles for AI bioethics. The IR1.0, the IR of the 18th century, impelled a huge social
change without directly complicating human relationships. Modern AI, however, has
a tremendous impact on how we do things and also the ways we relate to one another.
Facing this challenge, new principles of AI bioethics must be considered and developed to
provide guidelines for the AI technology to observe so that the world will be benefited by
Submission : 19‑Dec‑2019 the progress of this new intelligence.
Revision : 30‑Jan‑2020
Acceptance : 09‑Apr‑2020
Web Publication : 14-Aug-2020 Keywords: Artificial intelligence, Bioethics, Principles of artificial intelligence bioethics

What is artificial intelligence? car. Many currently existing systems that claim to use “AI”
are likely operating as a weak AI focusing on a narrowly
A rtificial intelligence  (AI) has many different definitions;
some see it as the created technology that allows comput-
ers and machines to function intelligently. Some see it as the
defined specific function. Although this weak AI seems to be
helpful to human living, there are still some think weak AI
machine that replaces human labor to work for men a more could be dangerous because weak AI could cause disruptions
effective and speedier result. Others see it as “a system” with in the electric grid or may damage nuclear power plants when
the ability to correctly interpret external data, to learn from malfunctioned.
such data, and to use those learnings to achieve specific goals The new development of the long‑term goal of many
and tasks through flexible adaptation [1]. researchers is to create strong AI or artificial general intelli-
Despite the different definitions, the common understand- gence (AGI) which is the speculative intelligence of a machine
ing of AI is that it is associated with machines and computers that has the capacity to understand or learn any intelligent task
to help humankind solve problems and facilitate working pro- human being can, thus assisting human to unravel the con-
cesses. In short, it is an intelligence designed by humans and fronted problem. While narrow AI may outperform humans
demonstrated by machines. The term AI is used to describe such as playing chess or solving equations, but its effect is
these functions of human‑made tool that emulates the “cogni- still weak. AGI, however, could outperform humans at nearly
tive” abilities of the natural intelligence of human minds [2]. every cognitive task.

Along with the rapid development of cybernetic technology Strong AI is a different perception of AI that it can be pro-
in recent years, AI has been seen almost in all our life circles, grammed to actually be a human mind, to be intelligent in
and some of that may no longer be regarded as AI because it whatever it is commanded to attempt, even to have perception,
is so common in daily life that we are much used to it such as beliefs and other cognitive capacities that are normally only
optical character recognition or the Siri (speech interpretation ascribed to humans [4].
and recognition interface) of information searching equipment In summary, we can see these different functions of AI [5,6]:
on computer [3]. 1. Automation: What makes a system or process to function
automatically
Different types of artificial intelligence
From the functions and abilities provided by AI, we can *Address for correspondence:
Prof. Michael Cheng‑Tek Tai,
distinguish two different types. The first is weak AI, also Department of Medical Sociology and Social Work, College
known as narrow AI that is designed to perform a narrow task, of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, 110, Section 1,
such as facial recognition or Internet Siri search or self‑driving Chien Kuo North Road, Taichung, Taiwan.
E‑mail: [email protected]

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DOI: 10.4103/tcmj.tcmj_71_20
How to cite this article: Tai MC. The impact of artificial intelligence on human society
and bioethics. Tzu Chi Med 2020; 32(4): 339-43.

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2. Machine learning and vision: The science of getting a Above all, we see the high‑profile examples of AI includ-
computer to act through deep learning to predict and ing autonomous vehicles (such as drones and self‑driving
analyze, and to see through a camera, analog‑to‑digital cars), medical diagnosis, creating art, playing games (such as
conversion and digital signal processing Chess or Go), search engines (such as Google search), online
3. Natural language processing: The processing of human assistants (such as Siri), image recognition in photographs,
language by a computer program, such as spam detection spam filtering, predicting flight delays…etc. All these have
and converting instantly a language to another to help made human life much easier and convenient that we are so
humans communicate used to them and take them for granted. AI has become indis-
4. Robotics: A  field of engineering focusing on the design pensable, although it is not absolutely needed without it our
and manufacturing of cyborgs, the so‑called machine man. world will be in chaos in many ways today.
They are used to perform tasks for human’s convenience or
something too difficult or dangerous for human to perform The Impact of artificial intelligence on
and can operate without stopping such as in assembly lines human society
5. Self‑driving car: Use a combination of computer vision,
Negative impact
image recognition amid deep learning to build automated
Questions have been asked: With the progressive devel-
control in a vehicle.
opment of AI, human labor will no longer be needed as
everything can be done mechanically. Will humans become
Do Human‑beings really need artificial
lazier and eventually degrade to the stage that we return to our
intelligence? primitive form of being? The process of evolution takes eons
Is AI really needed in human society? It depends. If human to develop, so we will not notice the backsliding of human-
opts for a faster and effective way to complete their work and kind. However how about if the AI becomes so powerful that
to work constantly without taking a break, yes, it is. However it can program itself to be in charge and disobey the order
if humankind is satisfied with a natural way of living without given by its master, the humankind?
excessive desires to conquer the order of nature, it is not.
Let us see the negative impact the AI will have on human
History tells us that human is always looking for something
society [10,11]:
faster, easier, more effective, and convenient to finish the task
1. A huge social change that disrupts the way we live in
they work on; therefore, the pressure for further develop-
the human community will occur. Humankind has to
ment motivates humankind to look for a new and better way
be industrious to make their living, but with the service
of doing things. Humankind as the homo‑sapiens discovered
of AI, we can just program the machine to do a thing
that tools could facilitate many hardships for daily livings and
for us without even lifting a tool. Human closeness will
through tools they invented, human could complete the work
be gradually diminishing as AI will replace the need for
better, faster, smarter and more effectively. The invention to
people to meet face to face for idea exchange. AI will
create new things becomes the incentive of human progress.
stand in between people as the personal gathering will no
We enjoy a much easier and more leisurely life today all
longer be needed for communication
because of the contribution of technology. The human society
2. Unemployment is the next because many works will be
has been using the tools since the beginning of civilization, and
replaced by machinery. Today, many automobile assembly
human progress depends on it. The human kind living in the
lines have been filled with machineries and robots, forcing
21st century did not have to work as hard as their forefathers
traditional workers to lose their jobs. Even in supermarket,
in previous times because they have new machines to work
the store clerks will not be needed anymore as the digital
for them. It is all good and should be all right for these AI but
device can take over human labor
a warning came in early 20th century as the human‑technology
3. Wealth inequality will be created as the investors of AI will
kept developing that Aldous Huxley warned in his book Brave
take up the major share of the earnings. The gap between
New World that human might step into a world in which we
the rich and the poor will be widened. The so‑called “M”
are creating a monster or a super human with the development
shape wealth distribution will be more obvious
of genetic technology.
4. New issues surface not only in a social sense but also
Besides, up‑to‑dated AI is breaking into healthcare indus- in AI itself as the AI being trained and learned how to
try too by assisting doctors to diagnose, finding the sources operate the given task can eventually take off to the stage
of diseases, suggesting various ways of treatment performing that human has no control, thus creating un‑anticipated
surgery and also predicting if the illness is life‑threatening [7]. problems and consequences. It refers to AI’s capacity after
A recent study by surgeons at the Children’s National Medical being loaded with all needed algorithm may automatically
Center in Washington successfully demonstrated surgery function on its own course ignoring the command given by
with an autonomous robot. The team supervised the robot the human controller
to perform soft‑tissue surgery, stitch together a pig’s bowel, 5. The human masters who create AI may invent something
and the robot finished the job better than a human surgeon, that is racial bias or egocentrically oriented to harm
the team claimed [8,9]. It demonstrates robotically‑assisted certain people or things. For instance, the United Nations
surgery can overcome the limitations of pre‑existing min- has voted to limit the spread of nucleus power in fear
imally‑invasive surgical procedures and to enhance the of its indiscriminative use to destroying humankind or
capacities of surgeons performing open surgery. targeting on certain races or region to achieve the goal

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of domination. AI is possible to target certain race or of the human body took place in 1977. By the early 2000s,
some programmed objects to accomplish the command cardiac MRI, body MRI, and fetal imaging, became routine.
of destruction by the programmers, thus creating world The search continues for new algorithms to detect specific dis-
disaster. eases as well as to analyze the results of scans [9]. All those
are the contribution of the technology of AI.
Positive impact Virtual presence
There are, however, many positive impacts on humans as The virtual presence technology can enable a distant diag-
well, especially in the field of healthcare. AI gives comput- nosis of the diseases. The patient does not have to leave his/
ers the capacity to learn, reason, and apply logic. Scientists, her bed but using a remote presence robot, doctors can check
medical researchers, clinicians, mathematicians, and engi-
the patients without actually being there. Health professionals
neers, when working together, can design an AI that is aimed
can move around and interact almost as effectively as if they
at medical diagnosis and treatments, thus offering reliable and
were present. This allows specialists to assist patients who are
safe systems of health‑care delivery. As health professors and
unable to travel.
medical researchers endeavor to find new and efficient ways
of treating diseases, not only the digital computer can assist
in analyzing, robotic systems can also be created to do some
Some cautions to be reminded
delicate medical procedures with precision. Here, we see the Despite all the positive promises that AI provides, human
contribution of AI to health care [7,11]: experts, however, are still essential and necessary to design,
program, and operate the AI from any unpredictable error
Fast and accurate diagnostics from occurring. Beth Kindig, a San Francisco‑based tech-
IBM’s Watson computer has been used to diagnose with nology analyst with more than a decade of experience in
the fascinating result. Loading the data to the computer will analyzing private and public technology companies, published
instantly get AI’s diagnosis. AI can also provide various a free newsletter indicating that although AI has a poten-
ways of treatment for physicians to consider. The procedure tial promise for better medical diagnosis, human experts are
is something like this: To load the digital results of physical still needed to avoid the misclassification of unknown dis-
examination to the computer that will consider all possibilities eases because AI is not omnipotent to solve all problems for
and automatically diagnose whether or not the patient suffers human kinds. There are times when AI meets an impasse, and
from some deficiencies and illness and even suggest various to carry on its mission, it may just proceed indiscriminately,
kinds of available treatment. ending in creating more problems. Thus vigilant watch of
Socially therapeutic robots AI’s function cannot be neglected. This reminder is known as
Pets are recommended to senior citizens to ease their physician‑in‑the‑loop [13].
tension and reduce blood pressure, anxiety, loneliness, and The question of an ethical AI consequently was brought
increase social interaction. Now cyborgs have been suggested up by Elizabeth Gibney in her article published in Nature to
to accompany those lonely old folks, even to help do some caution any bias and possible societal harm [14]. The Neural
house chores. Therapeutic robots and the socially assistive Information processing Systems (NeurIPS) conference in
robot technology help improve the quality of life for seniors Vancouver Canada in 2020 brought up the ethical controver-
and physically challenged [12]. sies of the application of AI technology, such as in predictive
Reduce errors related to human fatigue policing or facial recognition, that due to bias algorithms can
Human error at workforce is inevitable and often costly, the result in hurting the vulnerable population [14]. For instance,
greater the level of fatigue, the higher the risk of errors occur- the NeurIPS can be programmed to target certain race or
ring. Al technology, however, does not suffer from fatigue or decree as the probable suspect of crime or trouble makers.
emotional distraction. It saves errors and can accomplish the
duty faster and more accurately. The challenge of artificial intelligence to
Artificial intelligence‑based surgical contribution bioethics
AI‑based surgical procedures have been available for Artificial intelligence ethics must be developed
people to choose. Although this AI still needs to be operated Bioethics is a discipline that focuses on the relationship
by the health professionals, it can complete the work with less among living beings. Bioethics accentuates the good and the
damage to the body. The da Vinci surgical system, a robotic right in biospheres and can be categorized into at least three
technology allowing surgeons to perform minimally invasive areas, the bioethics in health settings that is the relation-
procedures, is available in most of the hospitals now. These ship between physicians and patients, the bioethics in social
systems enable a degree of precision and accuracy far greater settings that is the relationship among humankind and the
than the procedures done manually. The less invasive the bioethics in environmental settings that is the relationship
surgery, the less trauma it will occur and less blood loss, less between man and nature including animal ethics, land ethics,
anxiety of the patients. ecological ethics…etc. All these are concerned about relation-
Improved radiology
ships within and among natural existences.
The first computed tomography scanners were introduced As AI arises, human has a new challenge in terms of estab-
in 1971. The first magnetic resonance imaging  (MRI) scan lishing a relationship toward something that is not natural in

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its own right. Bioethics normally discusses the relationship • AI should be secure and accurate. It should not be
within natural existences, either humankind or his environ- easily compromised by external attacks, and it should be
ment, that are parts of natural phenomena. But now men have reasonably reliable
to deal with something that is human‑made, artificial and • Personal data collected by AI systems should be secure
unnatural, namely AI. Human has created many things yet and private. It should not be accessible to just anyone, and
never has human had to think of how to ethically relate to his it should not be easily stolen
own creation. AI by itself is without feeling or personality. AI • Data and algorithms used to create an AI system should be
engineers have realized the importance of giving the AI ability accessible, and the decisions made by the software should
to discern so that it will avoid any deviated activities causing be “understood and traced by human beings.” In other
unintended harm. From this perspective, we understand that words, operators should be able to explain the decisions
AI can have a negative impact on humans and society; thus, their AI systems make
a bioethics of AI becomes important to make sure that AI will • Services provided by AI should be available to all,
not take off on its own by deviating from its originally desig- regardless of age, gender, race, or other characteristics.
nated purpose. Similarly, systems should not be biased along these lines
Stephen Hawking warned early in 2014 that the develop- • AI systems should be sustainable  (i.e., they should be
ment of full AI could spell the end of the human race. He said ecologically responsible) and “enhance positive social
that once humans develop AI, it may take off on its own and change”
redesign itself at an ever‑increasing rate [15]. Humans, who • AI systems should be auditable and covered by existing
are limited by slow biological evolution, could not compete protections for corporate whistleblowers. The negative
and would be superseded. In his book Superintelligence, impacts of systems should be acknowledged and reported
Nick Bostrom gives an argument that AI will pose a threat in advance.
to humankind. He argues that sufficiently intelligent AI can From these guidelines, we can suggest that future AI must
exhibit convergent behavior such as acquiring resources or be equipped with human sensibility or “AI humanities.” To
protecting itself from being shut down, and it might harm accomplish this, AI researchers, manufacturers, and all indus-
humanity [16]. tries must bear in mind that technology is to serve not to
The question is–do we have to think of bioethics for the manipulate humans and his society. Bostrom and Judkowsky
human’s own created product that bears no bio‑vitality? Can listed responsibility, transparency, auditability, incorruptibility,
a machine have a mind, consciousness, and mental state in and predictability [19] as criteria for the computerized society
exactly the same sense that human beings do? Can a machine to think about.
be sentient and thus deserve certain rights? Can a machine
intentionally cause harm? Regulations must be contemplated Suggested principles for artificial
as a bioethical mandate for AI production. intelligence bioethics
Studies have shown that AI can reflect the very prejudices Nathan Strout, a reporter at Space and Intelligence System
humans have tried to overcome. As AI becomes “truly ubiq- at Easter University, USA, reported just recently that the
uitous,” it has a tremendous potential to positively impact intelligence community is developing its own AI ethics. The
all manner of life, from industry to employment to health Pentagon made announced in February 2020 that it is in the
care and even security. Addressing the risks associated with process of adopting principles for using AI as the guide-
the technology, Janosch Delcker, Politico Europe’s AI cor- lines for the department to follow while developing new AI
respondent, said: “I don’t think AI will ever be free of bias, tools and AI‑enabled technologies. Ben Huebner, chief of the
at least not as long as we stick to machine learning as we Office of Director of National Intelligence’s Civil Liberties,
know it today,”…. “What’s crucially important, I believe, Privacy, and Transparency Office, said that “We’re going to
is to recognize that those biases exist and that policymakers need to ensure that we have transparency and accountability in
try to mitigate them” [17]. The High‑Level Expert Group on these structures as we use them. They have to be secure and
AI of the European Union presented Ethics Guidelines for resilient” [20]. Two themes have been suggested for the AI
Trustworthy AI in 2019 that suggested AI systems must be community to think more about: Explainability and interpret-
accountable, explainable, and unbiased. Three emphases are ability. Explainability is the concept of understanding how the
given: analytic works, while interpretability is being able to under-
1. Lawful‑respecting all applicable laws and regulations stand a particular result produced by an analytic [20].
2. Ethical‑respecting ethical principles and values
All the principles suggested by scholars for AI bioethics are
3. Robust‑being adaptive, reliable, fair, and trustworthy from
well‑brought‑up. I  gather from different bioethical principles
a technical perspective while taking into account its social
in all the related fields of bioethics to suggest four principles
environment [18].
here for consideration to guide the future development of the
Seven requirements are recommended [18]: AI technology. We however must bear in mind that the main
• AI should not trample on human autonomy. People should attention should still be placed on human because AI after all
not be manipulated or coerced by AI systems, and humans has been designed and manufactured by human. AI proceeds
should be able to intervene or oversee every decision that to its work according to its algorithm. AI itself cannot empa-
the software makes thize nor have the ability to discern good from evil and may

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commit mistakes in processes. All the ethical quality of AI Financial support and sponsorship
depends on the human designers; therefore, it is an AI bioeth- Nil.
ics and at the same time, a trans‑bioethics that abridge human
Conflicts of interest
and material worlds. Here are the principles:
1. Beneficence: Beneficence means doing good, and here it There are no conflicts of interest.
refers to the purpose and functions of AI should benefit the
whole human life, society and universe. Any AI that will
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