Artificial intelligence and decision making problems: The need for an ethical context

Computers process information and make decisions. Until recently, the decisions they made were not complex, but due to the incessant technological advances that occur, systems based on Artificial Intelligence are achieving levels of competence in decision-making that in many contexts equal or exceed people. These are Autonomous Decision Systems that, although they can increase the capacity and efficiency of people in their fields of action, could also replace them, something that worries the whole of Society. Avoiding missfunctions in these systems is a priority social, scientific and technological objective, which requires having theoretical models that collect all the richness and variety of decision problems, that define precisely the elements that characterize them and that address the ethical approaches which should guide its operation. This paper describes each of these aspects in a separate section.

Automated summary

Computers process information and make decisions, with AI systems achieving levels of decision-making comparable to or exceeding humans. While these Autonomous Decision Systems can enhance efficiency, the potential for replacing humans raises concerns, making avoiding system malfunctions a top priority.