Ethically Aligned Design: A Vision for Prioritizing Human Well-being with Autonomous and Intelligent Systems
ETHICALLY ALIGNED DESIGN A Vision for Prioritizing Human Well-being with Autonomous and Intelligent Systems Version 2 - For Public Discussion
This document, Ethically Aligned Design (Version 2), is a comprehensive public discussion draft created by The IEEE Global Initiative on Ethics of Autonomous and Intelligent Systems. It establishes guiding principles for prioritizing human well-being in the design, development, and deployment of autonomous and intelligent systems (A/IS). The framework covers general principles, value embedding, methodologies, future technology concerns, economics, law, affective computing, and mixed reality.
Summary and content fields are drawn from the document text and are pending editorial review.
Who issued it
Who it governs
This document is for technologists, engineers, policy makers, researchers, and society members interested in the ethical development of autonomous and intelligent systems.
What the document contains
The document addresses ethical, legal, and technical considerations for autonomous and intelligent systems across multiple domains, including human rights, value alignment, accountability, transparency, data privacy, autonomous weapons, economic impacts, law, affective computing, mixed reality, and well-being metrics.
It does not constitute a legally binding statute, final standard, or official corporate policy position, serving instead as a preliminary reference and request for public input.
- Autonomous and intelligent systems must prioritize human well-being and be aligned with inalienable human rights.
- Designers and developers must embed moral and social norms directly into autonomous systems.
- Systems must operate with a high level of transparency, traceability, and verifiability.
- Organizations should establish internal ethical governance structures and interdisciplinary education programs.
- A/IS should be designed to fail gracefully and include robust safety mechanisms against misuse.
· Executive Summary · General Principles · Embedding Values into Autonomous Intelligent Systems · Methodologies to Guide Ethical Research and Design · Safety and Beneficence of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) and Artificial Superintelligence (ASI) · Personal Data and Individual Access Control · Reframing Autonomous Weapons Systems · Economics/Humanitarian Issues · Law · Affective Computing · Policy · Classical Ethics in A/IS · Mixed Reality in ICT · Well-being
How it scores
Each score is backed by a quote verified against the document text. Editorial review has not yet confirmed them.
Accountability
4/5Clear responsibility for AI outcomes
Systems for registration and record-keeping should be created so that it is always possible to find out who is legally responsible for a particular A/IS.
General Principles - Principle 3
screening score · 2026-10-23
Fairness
4/5Non-discrimination and equitable treatment
Evaluation of A/IS must carefully assess potential biases in the system’s performance that disadvantage specific social groups.
Embedding Values into Autonomous Intelligent Systems - Section 3
screening score · 2026-10-23
Human Dignity
4/5Respect for the inherent worth of persons
By creating autonomous and intelligent systems that explicitly honor inalienable human rights and the beneficial values of their users, we can prioritize the increase of human well-being
Introduction
screening score · 2026-10-23
Human Oversight
4/5Humans remain in control of consequential decisions
For the foreseeable future, A/IS should not be granted rights and privileges equal to human rights: A/IS should always be subordinate to human judgment and control.
General Principles - Principle 1
screening score · 2026-10-23
Privacy
4/5Protection of personal data and private life
A fundamental need is that people have the right to define access and provide informed consent with respect to the use of their personal digital data.
Executive Summary
screening score · 2026-10-23