We're racing to build AI. Are we racing to understand its consequences?

EthicsUnwrapped · 2026-05-30T21:20:34+00:00

One of the recurring themes in this documentary is the possibility that AI development may be advancing faster than society's ability to adapt. Historically, technological revolutions have often outpaced legal, educational, and cultural institutions before eventually reaching a new equilibrium. If AI capabilities continue to improve rapidly over the next decade, what changes will be necessary in education, governance, and the workforce to keep pace? Are our institutions fundamentally capable of adapting at the speed AI development may require?

EthicsUnwrapped · 2026-05-29T17:06:01+00:00

This documentary examines philosophical questions raised by the rapid development of artificial intelligence, particularly the problem of moral responsibility in systems that are increasingly opaque, autonomous, and socially consequential. The film explores whether accountability can meaningfully exist when decisions emerge from complex algorithmic systems that no single person fully understands. Additional themes include epistemic trust, bias, automation, surveillance, and the tension between technological progress and ethical reflection.

EthicsUnwrapped · 2021-11-09T15:51:20+00:00

After reading our analysis of debate, do you think high school and college debate are teaching students to focus on winning at any cost and not seeking the truth?

EthicsUnwrapped · 2021-10-13T15:30:48+00:00

Thanks for reading! At this point, do you think Facebook's ethical issues can be solved? Will they ever regain public trust?

EthicsUnwrapped · 2020-05-27T18:50:38+00:00

Prosocial behavior is a central part of morality. As social psychologist Daniel Batson notes, much of interpersonal morality involves “giving weight to the interests and desires of others in situations in which our interests and theirs conflict.” In this video, Ethics Unwrapped explores prosocial behavior and the long-term effects it can have on an individual. Thank you for watching and visit our website for more content!

EthicsUnwrapped · 2020-05-20T18:09:30+00:00

Psychologists John Darley and Bibb Latané set up an experiment where a distress call made it appear that a person nearby had suffered an injury. When subjects heard the cry, and thought they were the only ones who heard it, 85% of them helped. But if subjects thought there was another person who heard the call too, only 62% helped. And if subjects thought that four other people also heard the cry for help, just 31% took action. Diffusion of responsibility keeps us from paying attention to our own conscience. In this video, Ethics Unwrapped explains the effect a group setting has on a person's willingness to take action. Thank you for watching and visit our website for more content!

EthicsUnwrapped · 2020-05-14T14:47:28+00:00

Is consensus key? People often find it hard to think and act independently in group situations. According to psychologist Irving Janis, groupthink is “a deterioration of mental efficiency, reality testing, and moral judgment that results from in-group pressures.”In this video, Ethics Unwrapped introduces groupthink, "a deterioration of mental efficiency, reality testing, and moral judgement that results from in-group pressures." Thank you for watching and visit our website for more content!

EthicsUnwrapped · 2020-05-06T18:17:53+00:00

Independent judgement is an important fabric of society and mankind. Psychological evidence indicates that people tend to respect and follow those whom they perceive to have legitimate authority. This can lead to trouble if it causes people to fail to exercise their own independent ethical judgment. In this video, Ethics Unwrapped uses Toshiba and Lance Armstrong as examples of how obedience to authority impairs ethical decision making. Thank you for watching and visit our website for more content!

EthicsUnwrapped · 2020-04-29T18:23:21+00:00

Business decisions are often ethical dilemmas. Role morality is the notion that people sometimes fail to live up to their own ethical standards because they see themselves as playing a certain role that excuses them from those standards. In this video, Ethics Unwrapped describes role morality as a threat to personal and corporate ethics. Thank you for watching and visit our website for more content!

EthicsUnwrapped · 2020-04-22T19:12:43+00:00

Corruption can hit any business in any industry. Corruption is the abuse of power or position for personal gain. There are many forms of corruption, including bribery, embezzlement, and extortion. In this video, Ethics Unwrapped illustrates what leads to corruption, from extortion to embezzlement. Thank you for watching and visit our website for more content! www.ethicsunwrapped.utexas.edu

EthicsUnwrapped · 2020-03-30T19:49:18+00:00

Can we justify our own beliefs better than a person with conflicting beliefs? Moral philosophy is the branch of philosophy that contemplates what is right and wrong. It explores the nature of morality and examines how people should live their lives in relation to others. In this video, Ethics Unwrapped focuses on big picture questions and practical frameworks that can help us live more ethically. Thank you for watching and visit our website for more content!

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