Asian thought leaders bring new perspectives to AI development and management. They present principles based on protecting human safety and community.

As artificial intelligence (AI) rapidly advances, the global conversations concerning ethics are accelerating. Until recently, many conversations were grounded in Western philosophical traditions, but Asian thought leaders are now making significant contributions to these discussions. There are some common AI principles, but there are also significant differences. Eastern Asian thought leaders believe that ethical AI protects culture, including collective well-being in some cultures, as well as human safety and welfare. Many of the principles are based on philosophies such as Confucianism and Buddhism. AI developers who incorporate Eastern Asian wisdom in AI discussions experience a significant shift in focus.

Influence of Culture on AI Perspectives

Western thought leaders have led the global conversation on AI and ethics, but a new set of principles is emerging as Asian thought leaders bring a diverse perspective to the table. North America has thus far dominated discussions on AI. However, Western cultural principles differ significantly from those in Eastern Asia, and Asian thought leaders are reshaping conversations on AI and ethics based on their cultural beliefs and ethics.

For example, Confucian ethics focus on duty to others, social harmony, and hierarchy. The ethic of responsibility says community rights are greater than individual rights. In this context, AI data is considered communal data, rather than personal data, an idea that is at odds with Western culture, which emphasizes rights, autonomy, and consent. Buddhist principles include compassion, mindfulness, and the reduction of suffering. If AI and ethics incorporate these principles, AI should be integrated into existing systems and should never be allowed to dominate.

Prioritizing Humans

Asian thought leaders prioritize human centricity in technology. Humans must always stay informed, according to Pascale Fung, Chair Professor of the Department of Electronic and Computer Engineering, Hong Kong SAR, China, who spoke about generative AI. GenAI models should always remain aligned with what humans want, meaning technology should not advance without human intervention. Fung emphasizes transparency in GenAI models so researchers can “moderate bias, train AI on data from numerous languages, and avoid toxic content.” She believes the future of student education is in “teaching humans to be more human” by developing critical thinking skills and studying liberal arts subjects like philosophy and humanities, along with science and math.

Ethics specialists need to understand AI, and AI specialists need to understand ethics.2 Most Western discussions on AI development focus on the technology itself, with ethical considerations often taking a backseat until privacy rights are violated. Asian thought leaders consider ethics during the design of AI and within the context of their cultural beliefs.

There are Asian countries that have taken definitive steps to ensure the integration of AI into society is designed to solve society’s problems while maintaining human dignity. Japan’s Society 5.0 Vision, promoted by the Cabinet, says that Society 5.0 is “a human-centered society in which economic development and the resolution of social issues are compatible with each other through a highly integrated system of cyberspace and physical space." This means every element of society will be built into cyberspace, “restructured in terms of systems, business design, urban and regional development, etc., and then reflected in physical space to transform society.”

Singapore has also emerged as a leader in Asian AI ethics by publishing a Model AI Governance Framework. It has two high-level governance principles. They are that AI used for decision-making should lead to explainable, transparent, and fair decisions, and that AI solutions should be human-centric, protecting human well-being and safety.

Prioritizing Collective Welfare

At the center of discussions on AI in East Asian societies is the preservation and continuation of cultural traditions, meaning that AI is viewed through a lens of cultural traditions. For example, human rights in AI are viewed within a cultural context. In China, Confucianism says personhood is relational, developmental, and virtue-based. The Japanese Society for Ethical Intelligence Ethical Guidelines allows for non-human beings if they “play ethically relevant roles and duties as humans.” Other Eastern Asian AI concepts include ideas such as well-being, which prioritizes collective welfare, and that AI should harmonize the interests of diverse stakeholders to alleviate the suffering of all.

Developing technologies solely for the sake of technological advancement can easily lead to issues concerning fairness and human well-being. As the AI industry advances, incorporating some Eastern Asian perspectives on the development and deployment of AI will help ensure that AI systems act responsibly.