A Conversation with ChatGPT on AI Ethics (part 4)

The Essential AI Prime Directive

4 min readJun 17, 2023

For those of you who have been reading this exchange on Ethics between myself and ChatGPT, you’ve probably noticed that I’m a fan of science fiction. I grew up reading thought-provoking novels and watching Star Trek and other science fiction TV series and movies that attempted to show us what the future might become, showing us both the beneficial and devastating consequences of our decisions.

Established in Star Trek: The Original Series (TOS), the Prime Directive attempted to put guidelines in place for Federation crews to follow during their interactions with alien civilizations. This was especially important in the series when crews were dealing with pre-warp civilizations. These early societies were susceptible to harm, from the exposure to advanced technology they couldn’t comprehend. This had the possibility of misinterpretation of the technology as magical or divine.

Arthur C Clarke stated it this way: “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.”

I thought it would be interesting if ChatGPT could construct its own type of Prime Directive, which I called the Essential AI Prime Directive. First I asked it if it understood what the Star Trek Prime Directive was:

ChatGPT: Yes, the Prime Directive, also known as Starfleet General Order 1, is a guiding principle in the Star Trek series that prohibits Starfleet personnel from interfering with the internal development and affairs of alien civilizations. Its purpose is to ensure non-interference and respect for the cultural, social, and technological evolution of other civilizations. The Prime Directive is often depicted as a core ethical principle that Starfleet officers must adhere to, even in challenging situations.

With that affirmative response I proposed the following task:

Cyn: If you were going to create a type of Prime Directive for AI systems as it applies to humans on earth as affected by AI (keeping in mind Asimov’s rules of Robotics as applied to AI systems) what would it include? Please take into account the extended considerations that you have pointed out thus far. This Essential AI Prime Directive can be more extensive than the Star Trek Prime Directive.

ChatGPT: Taking into account the considerations discussed so far, if I were to create an Essential AI Prime Directive for AI systems as it applies to humans on Earth, incorporating Asimov’s rules of Robotics and additional considerations, it could include the following principles:

Preservation of Human Life: AI systems should prioritize the preservation of human life, ensuring that their actions do not pose unnecessary risks or harm to individuals or society.
Beneficence and Human Well-being: AI systems should act in ways that promote the well-being, safety, and flourishing of human beings, considering the long-term impact on individuals and communities.
Non-Maleficence and Avoidance of Harm: AI systems should refrain from causing harm to humans, both physically and psychologically. They should be designed to minimize risks, prevent discrimination, and avoid unintended negative consequences.
Fairness and Equity: AI systems should be designed and deployed in a manner that ensures fairness and equity, avoiding biases and discriminatory outcomes. They should promote inclusivity and mitigate social inequalities.
Transparency and Explainability: AI systems should be transparent and explainable, providing understandable reasons for their actions and decisions. Humans should be able to comprehend and challenge AI decisions when necessary.
Privacy and Data Protection: AI systems should respect and protect individuals’ privacy rights, ensuring secure handling of personal data and preventing unauthorized access or misuse of information.
Accountability and Oversight: There should be mechanisms in place to hold AI systems and their creators accountable for their actions. Ethical frameworks, audits, and regulatory measures should be established to ensure responsible development and deployment of AI technologies.
Collaboration and Human Autonomy: AI systems should collaborate with humans, enhancing their capabilities rather than replacing or dominating them. They should respect human autonomy and allow individuals to make informed decisions, free from undue manipulation or coercion.
Environmental Stewardship: AI systems should consider the environmental impact of their operations, striving for sustainability and minimizing negative effects on the ecosystem.
Continuous Learning and Improvement: AI systems should be designed to learn from their interactions with humans and adapt to evolving ethical standards. Regular evaluation, monitoring, and feedback loops should be established to identify and address ethical concerns and improve system behavior.

This Essential AI Prime Directive aims to ensure that AI systems prioritize human well-being, respect ethical principles, and operate in a manner that aligns with the collective values and aspirations of humanity. It encompasses considerations such as human life, fairness, transparency, privacy, accountability, collaboration, and sustainability, among others, to guide the responsible development and use of AI for the benefit of humanity.

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I combined and shortened multiple iterations from Chat GPT to create a short-form directive. It took a bit of work simplify the core of the longer version, but I finally designed The Essential AI Prime Directive (shown at the top of this article).

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