How to use AI ethically in your business strategy
By: Matt Whittle, Edited by: Mitch Jacobson
Published: April 16, 2025
Are you excited by the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in business? As AI tools continue to become popular in business settings, current and future leaders may wonder about the ethical use of this emerging technology.
Explore the intersection of AI and ethics in business, including executive education programs in the field.
What is the relationship between AI and ethics?
Ethics define our human sense of right and wrong outside of any societal standards. People have long explored the relationship between technology and ethics.
Economist John Maynard Keynes suggested over 100 years ago that many modern jobs would be replaced by automation.
Consider the use of AI in enterprise as an extension of business ethics, which include tenants such as honesty, integrity, and respect.
As you evaluate your and other companies' AI efforts, ensure that you are being transparent about its use and sources — for example, if the AI was trained on others' work, did those people provide consent? Are you sure that the AI is not biased with regard to hiring and assessment purposes?
Key features of using AI ethically in business
- Transparency: Transparency with AI use applies to sourcing, security, and society. When using AI in business, always communicate its origins, safety, and potential biases.
- Privacy: Your company may use customer information to bolster its machine learning efforts. Are adequate measures put in place to ensure the privacy of their data?
- Sustainability: The UN reports that AI use has already negatively affected the environment. Consider the scale of your AI use and its effects on emissions, mining operations, and water use.
- Accountability: Though algorithms may be kept private from the public and competitors, all AI systems must be auditable to ensure ethical use.
- Proportionality: AI should only be used for its intended purpose. Assessments by internal and external professionals can ensure the scope of its business applications.
Why should you prioritize ethical considerations when using AI?
Addressing AI and ethics at the business strategy level is key to set a top-level intention that flows through the entirety of your enterprise.
For example, if your business requires programmers, using AI-generated code can expose your company to cybersecurity risks. By prioritizing the importance of ethics as a business leader, you communicate to employees that they must also take care and operate ethically as they use AI.
AI and ethics are an existential concern for your business. Some experts have alleged that prestigious publications have fabricated entire articles and writers by using AI, damaging their reputation and quality in the process.
Key steps for anchoring ethics to AI tools
To employ artificial intelligence in your business strategy, start by considering potential outcomes to establish safeguards and alternatives. You can look to IT professionals currently in your company or seek assistance from expert consultants on the matter — much like how financial institutions undergo external audits, you can have external professionals assess the ethics of your AI use. For example, UNESCO has created an ethical impact assessment that considers short-term and long-term effects of AI deployment across sectors.
As AI continues to grow and change, business leaders should continually submit to assessments to keep up to date with this evolving tech. After implementing their suggestions, continue to evaluate their effectiveness and make changes as necessary.
Who qualifies to lead AI and ethics initiatives?
As an emerging technology, it can be difficult to know who is trustworthy on AI and ethics. Some top AI companies have shifted from nonprofits to for-profit enterprises, bringing their ethics into question and making them less-than-ideal leaders in the field.Within your company, consider the specific use of AI to find the right leaders to handle its deployment. Explore the following potential scenarios:
- Marketing director: If they are understaffed and considering using AI-generated imagery, they must consider the ethics of their given model.
- Human resources manager: Some AI models have shown hiring biases. HR professionals who receive many applications must assess their choice of AI software to ensure inclusivity.
- Lead programmer: Some programmers use AI-generated code, which can expose the company to cybersecurity issues. Working with your lead programmer to set an AI coding policy can reduce the likelihood of these events.
Fortunately, executive education programs focusing on AI can help you level up your skills and become a leader in the subject, allowing you to capably and ethically deploy the tech in your business.
Find programs that meet your goals and support company values
If you're looking to improve your business practices around artificial intelligence, check out edX's executive education programs, which can help you level up your toolkit and develop actionable skills in ethics and AI.