Fundamental Concept 1: Ethical AI and Big Data Responsibility

Ethical AI: The development and application of technologies like Artificial Intelligence in ways that prioritize fairness, transparency, accountability, and respect for human dignity. Ethical AI addresses issues such as bias in algorithms, the responsible use of Big Data, and the potential social impacts of AI systems.
Big Data Responsibility: The ethical obligation to handle, store, and use Big Data in ways that are transparent, fair, and respectful of privacy. This includes ensuring data is collected with consent, is accurate, and is used for purposes that benefit society without causing harm to individuals or marginalized groups.

Outcome 1: By understanding the key ethical principles of Big Data, students will be able to engage in the ethical debates surrounding AI through CST. This will help them explore how AI can be developed in ways that align with human dignity and the common good.
Outcome 2: A deep understanding of Big Data responsibility will enable students to critically assess the ethical implications of Big Data for AI, addressing ethical concerns related to privacy, common good, and social justice. Students will examine how misuse of and biases in Big Data can shape AI outcomes and influence societal inequality.
Outcome 3: Understanding the ethical principles concerning Big Data will guide students in designing AI policies that incorporate ethical considerations from CST, ensuring AI's use promotes justice, human rights, and social equity.

Fundamental Concept 2: Catholic Social Teaching and Stewardship of Technology

Catholic Social Teaching (CST): A body of teachings developed by the Catholic Church that addresses issues related to human dignity, social justice, the common good, solidarity, and the responsible use of the world’s resources. CST emphasizes the moral responsibility to promote social justice, care for the poor, protect the environment, and ensure the equitable distribution of resources.
Stewardship of Technology: The ethical and moral responsibility of humans to manage and use technology, including Artificial Intelligence, in ways that align with God’s creation and promote the common good. It involves ensuring that technology enhances human dignity, protects the environment, and contributes to societal well-being.

Outcome 1: By understanding CST principles, students will analyze how Catholic teachings on the common good, solidarity, and stewardship apply to the ethical development and deployment of information technologies like AI. This will allow them to explore how these technologies can serve humanity responsibly, particularly in ways that avoid exploitation or harm to vulnerable communities.
Outcome 2: The concept of stewardship, as connected to CST, helps students assess the role of technology in promoting justice and environmental sustainability. Students will examine how the responsible use of Big Data and AI can align with CST’s call for social justice, particularly regarding how AI can either perpetuate or reduce social inequities.
Outcome 3: Understanding stewardship and CST will guide students in creating actionable, ethically sound policies for the use of IT, including AI technologies, ensuring that these policies consider human dignity, the common good, and sustainable practices in their design.

Common Good refers to the collective well-being of all individuals in society, emphasizing equal access to resources and opportunities. In the context of AI, this principle calls for technologies that are designed to benefit everyone, ensuring fairness and addressing potential harms such as algorithmic biases and discrimination. CST reinforces that the environment and resources, like Big Data, are a shared gift that must be protected and used responsibly to benefit present and future generations, fostering inclusivity and solidarity.

Big Data Stewardship involves the ethical oversight and management of data to ensure it is used transparently, responsibly, and in ways that protect privacy and promote justice. It requires a balance between individual rights and the common good, guiding both governmental policies and corporate practices to ensure that data is used ethically for the benefit of all. Governments play a crucial role in regulating data access and preventing monopolies, reflecting CST's call for safeguarding the common good through collective responsibility and ensuring equitable access to data.

AI Ethics and Accountability focus on ensuring that AI technologies are developed and used in ways that respect human dignity, fairness, and transparency. This includes holding developers and corporations responsible for mitigating risks such as biases and discrimination in AI systems, ensuring these technologies serve society responsibly and equitably. Stewardship in AI, like in Big Data applications, demands collective action and the integration of ethical principles that prioritize human flourishing and responsibility towards the most vulnerable, ensuring AI benefits society as a whole.

Outcome 1: Students will critically assess the ethical implications of Big Data on the development and deployment of AI technologies, focusing on how these technologies can be designed and used in ways that respect the common good, as outlined in CST. They will evaluate the risks of Big Data misuse, such as algorithmic biases, discrimination, and the social impact of AI, and propose solutions that promote inclusive and responsible AI practices.
Outcome 2: Students will analyze the role of governmental regulation and corporate stewardship in ensuring the ethical use of Big Data in AI systems. They will apply the principles of stewardship from CST and relevant ethical traditions to recommend actionable policies that balance individual rights, the common good, and global cooperation, drawing from examples such as data commons, open data movements, and international agreements on data governance.
Outcome 3: Students will design an AI ethics and/or Big Data policy or strategy that integrates ethical frameworks from CST and relevant ethical traditions, ensuring the responsible collection, use, and sharing of Big Data. They will create a policy that addresses key concerns such as privacy, transparency, inclusivity, and environmental stewardship, ensuring that AI systems serve the common good and respect the dignity of all individuals, particularly marginalized communities.

Implementation.pptx

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