Right and wrong, fairness, equality, and accountability form the essence of human coexistence and societal harmony. Even in the early age when the concepts of civilisation were just evolving, the concept of ethics has prevailed in different forms, despite the lack of codification. These notions are the very root of a functional society that have later been codified into a set of principles guiding human behaviour termed “ethics”. Ethics refers to a set of morals, values and principles that guide human behaviour and decision-making. These principles play a central role in society as they form the foundation to a harmonious society. They help in fostering respect, justice and trust both in personal and professional aspects of human life. As society evolved, so did human beings and ethical concerns. Time in and time out, the development of technology has transformed the way society functions, undeniably bringing with it,not just profound benefits but significant ethical challenges as well. Evidently, throughout the history of technological advancements from the Industrial Revolution to the present day’s digital revolution, every technological milestone has necessitated enhanced ethical scrutiny. This enhanced scrutiny is required to align the advancing technology with prevailing societal values and human rights.
Today, another transformative force—Artificial Intelligence (AI)—has emerged, bringing both unprecedented opportunities and profound ethical challenges. It has rightly been quoted by Sir Stephen Hawking that “AI is likely the best and worst thing to happen to humanity”. Artificial Intelligence has emerged as a force of transformation serving as a means to reshape and redefine the society that we live in. From manufacturing to healthcare, from education to entertainment, from finance to governance and even to a person’s thought processes, AI-driven innovations have proved to make the provided services, our jobs and lives easier and better. From facilitating healthcare diagnostics to enhancing human connections, Artificial intelligence is serving the human force, both at a societal and individual level. The rapid proliferation of AI into the everyday lives of people has revolutionized the way that humans and technology interact with each other. However, despite the potential advantages and advancements that AI brings along, there are profound challenges as to ethical and regulatory considerations underlying the same. The use of Artificial Intelligence without an ethical framework involves risks such as violation of basic human rights and freedoms, raising liability and accountability issues and paving the way to grievous offences by its misuse. This article emphasizes the urgent need for an ethical framework to regulate AI in India, exploring the issue through a legal lens to ensure AI’s alignment with societal values and human rights.