Virtue in the Loop: Designing Ethical Military AI Systems

05 Apr 20229:00 pm - 5:00 pm

The use of artificial intelligence is growing across the military, where it is becoming an essential component of the contemporary warfighter’s toolbox. While the ethics of autonomous weapons have rightly gained much attention, it is just as important to consider the ethics of human-machine interactions. Research has shown that automated systems can affect character and decision-making, aspects of human action that belong to the category of virtue ethics.

This conference will explore how military AI systems can foster virtuous action. Because of the complex nature of these problems, the conference brings together both scholars and practitioners: philosophers, theologians, military experts, policy-makers, and programmers. Interdisciplinary discussion will allow the development of new pathways for guiding the ethical use of this rapidly progressing technology.

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Watch the recordings on the IHE YouTube Channel by clicking the session titles in the schedule below.

SCHEDULE

9-9:30	Welcome: Provost Aaron Dominguez The Catholic University of America Ronald Keesing, Vice President for Artificial Intelligence Leidos Paul Scherz, Associate Professor of Moral Theology/Ethics The Catholic University of America, School of Theology and Religious Studies
9:30 – 10:30	Keynote: Artificial Intelligence in the Military Paul Scharre, Vice President and Director of Studies Center for a New American Security Luis Vera, Assistant Professor of Theology Mount Saint Mary’s University
10:40 – 12:30	Panel : What Problems Does AI Present from the Standpoint of Virtue Ethics? Colonel James Cook, Permanent Professor and Head of the Department of Philosophy U.S. Air Force Academy Jonathan Askonas, Assistant Professor The Catholic University of America, School of Arts and Sciences Anna Feuer, Julian Steward Chair of Social Sciences Deep Springs College Maaike Verbruggen, Ph.D Researcher Institute for European Studies
1:30 – 2:30	Keynote:The Ethics of Military Uses of Artificial Intelligence: Sustaining Virtue, Locating Responsibility, and Calibrating Risk Nigel Biggar, Regius Professor of Moral and Pastoral Theology University of Oxford Anton Barba-Kay, Associate Professor The Catholic University of America, School of Philosophy
2:30 – 3:15	Conversation: What is the role of ethics in the US Military Technology Development? Bruce Jette President and CEO, Innvistra, LLC Former Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology Sarah Kreps, John L. Wetherill Professor Cornell University, Department of Government
3:30 – 4:45	Panel: Integrating Ethics into Technology Design Beverly Thompson, Senior Scientist Leidos AI/ML Accelerator Bartlett Russell, Program Manager DARPA Joe Chapa, Chief Responsible AI Ethics Officer United States Air Force

Virtue in the Loop: Designing Ethical Military AI Systems

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