A PHILOSOPHICAL ANALYSIS ON THE TELEOLOGICAL AND DEONTOLOGICAL ETHICAL THEORIES IN ETHICS OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Abstract

As artificial intelligence (AI) technologies continue to permeate critical domains such as healthcare, finance, security, and governance, the ethical frameworks guiding their development and deployment have become increasingly vital. This paper examines AI ethics through the lens of two major normative ethical theories: teleological and deontological ethics. Teleological ethics, particularly utilitarianism, evaluates the moral permissibility of AI activities based on their outcomes, prioritizing benefits such as efficiency, scalability, and collective well-being. In contrast, deontological ethics grounds its moral assessment in duties, principles, and the intrinsic rightness or wrongness of actions, irrespective of consequences. The paper explores how each principle addresses key issues in AI ethics, including bias, accountability, privacy, autonomy, and the potential for harm. By analyzing real-world AI applications and ethical dilemmas, this study highlights the strengths and limitations of both perspectives. It argues for a pluralistic approach that balances consequence and sensitive reasoning with principled safeguards, ensuring that AI systems align with both human values and moral responsibility. This ethical synthesis offers a more robust and inclusive foundation for responsible AI governance in an increasingly automated world.