The future of cities could be shaped by Artificial Intelligence (AI), where everyday objects like streetlights and traffic cameras become interconnected to create a smart urban system. These technologies already track everything from traffic to air quality, enhancing efficiency. However, the key challenge for these “smart cities” isn’t just data collection—it’s ensuring that AI systems can make ethical decisions.
Philosophers Daniel Shussett and Veljko Dubljević explored this issue in their study, “Applying the Agent-Deed-Consequence (ADC) Model to Smart City Ethics,” published in Algorithms. The paper raises an important question: how can cities ensure Artificial Intelligence aligns with human values and acts responsibly?
As cities introduce AI to manage functions like traffic flow and law enforcement, the researchers stress that AI must be guided by ethical principles. They argue that smart cities need more than data-gathering technologies—they need systems that can make moral decisions based on Artificial Intelligence.
The Smart City Dilemma
The term “smart city” has often referred to urban environments powered by digital technologies that enhance city services and quality of life. Yet, Shussett and Dubljević warn that being data-rich doesn’t guarantee ethical decision-making. They point out that technology can still make unethical choices if fairness and inclusion aren’t prioritized.
The researchers highlight four ethical challenges: privacy, democracy, social inequality, and environmental sustainability. These issues require moral judgment, not just technical solutions. According to them, cities must factor ethics into their smart technologies, and Artificial Intelligence systems must be programmed to consider these factors.
The ADC Model: A New Approach
At the core of the study is the ADC model, which combines three major ethical frameworks: virtue ethics, deontology, and utilitarianism. This model divides moral decision-making into three components: who is making the decision (Agent), what action is taken (Deed), and the consequences of the action (Consequence).
Each aspect of the model is assigned a value, which is then combined to form a moral judgment. The model can be used to program AI systems, allowing them to make ethical choices based on human values. This approach enables Artificial Intelligence to decide between right and wrong.
Shussett explains that the ADC model doesn’t just capture existing facts; it helps AI systems decide what actions to take. This approach can enable AI to distinguish between legitimate and illegitimate actions.
Translating Ethics into Code
Using deontic logic, the ADC model translates ethical reasoning into a format that machines can understand. This enables AI systems to make decisions aligned with human values without losing their autonomy.
Dubljević offers an example: if an AI controls traffic lights and detects an ambulance, it will change the lights to allow it through. But if someone fakes an emergency by adding false lights, the system should ignore the signal. The ADC model allows AI to follow this chain of logic.
Ethics in Urban Technology
AI systems in smart cities often deal with situations that have ethical implications. For instance, should AI-triggered cameras report loud sounds resembling gunshots? What if the system makes a mistake and innocent people are targeted?
The ADC model helps cities address these moral dilemmas by ensuring that technology behaves responsibly in all situations. It offers a framework for decision-making where intent, action, and consequences are all considered, making Artificial Intelligence a crucial part of the solution.
Keeping Human Judgment Central
A key takeaway from the study is that technology should never replace human judgment. The ADC model suggests a hybrid approach: while AI handles routine tasks like traffic control, humans should oversee more complex or morally ambiguous cases.
This partnership between humans and AI ensures that moral decisions are made with empathy and context, while still benefiting from AI’s efficiency and speed.
Collaborative Ethics in the Smart City
The study envisions a symbiotic relationship between humans and AI in smart cities. Humans bring emotional intelligence and context, while AI provides precision and speed. Together, they form a unified decision-making system that addresses both short-term needs and long-term values.
In this model, cities become moral agents, responsible for acting in the public’s best interest. This could revolutionize areas like resource distribution, emergency responses, and addressing societal inequalities.
The Road Ahead for Smart Cities
While the study offers a promising framework, implementing such ethical AI systems is no easy feat. Mapping complex moral concepts to machine logic is challenging, and cities must carefully consider when human intervention is necessary.
Nonetheless, the researchers remain optimistic. Their next step is to test the ADC model in simulations across various technologies, including traffic and surveillance, to determine if it delivers consistent and ethical results.
Dubljević states that their work outlines how AI values can be integrated into systems, ensuring ethical decision-making. This could guide the development of smarter, more ethical cities.
Practical Implications of Ethical AI
The ADC model could transform how cities deploy technology. By embedding ethical decision-making into AI, cities could improve fairness, privacy, and sustainability in urban systems.
More broadly, this research suggests a way to humanize AI, making it not only more powerful but also more aligned with human values.
