Emerging Technology

Framing ethical perspectives

Emerging Technologies are technologies whose development and/or practical applications are still largely unrealized. If left unchecked, these technologies could exacerbate inequality and empower autocrats, destabilize society, and destroy the concept of privacy. Carnegie Council’s events, experts, and impact initiatives, such as the Artificial Intelligence & Equality Initiative (AIEI), focus on the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) and related technologies and aim to map the field, illuminate topics requiring further research, and build a diverse community of experts, with the goal of ensuring that AI is developed and deployed in a just, responsible, and inclusive manner.

Featured Emerging Technology Resources

Artificial intelligence, climate-altering technologies, and more

APR 9, 2024 Video

Algorithms of War: The Use of AI in Armed Conflict

From Gaza to Ukraine, the military applications of AI are fundamentally reshaping the ethics of war. How should policymakers navigate AI’s inherent trade-offs?

MAR 27, 2024 Article

The Specter of EMP Weapons in Space

Visiting Fellow Zhanna Malekos Smith details the danger of electromagnetic pulse weapons. How can nations protect themselves from this catastrophic threat?

Explore Our Emerging Technology Resources

Detail from book cover.

APR 25, 2018 Podcast

Us Vs. Them: The Failure of Globalism, with Ian Bremmer

"The failure of globalism [an ideology of bringing people closer together] is very different than the failure of globalization," says Ian Bremmer. "I don't think ...

Shanghai. CREDIT: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/stuckincustoms/1728593481">Trey Ratcliff</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/">(CC)</a>

APR 4, 2018 Podcast

#MeToo in China, with Maura Cunningham and Jeffrey Wasserstrom

China experts Cunningham and Wasserstrom start by talking about the small, mainly campus-based #MeToo campaign in China--to avoid internet censorship young people often use emojis ...

Stephanie Sy and Rana Foroohar. CREDIT: Billy Pickett.

APR 3, 2018 Podcast

The Dangers of a Digital Democracy, with Rana Foroohar

The revelations about the misuse of Facebook data have started a pushback against the top five big tech companies: Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Netflix, and Google. ...

Andrew Yang. CREDIT: Billy Pickett.

MAR 21, 2018 Podcast

The Case for Universal Basic Income, with Andrew Yang

Automation is causing the greatest shift in human history and will put millions of Americans out of work, says entrepreneur and 2020 presidential candidate Andrew Yang. ...

FEB 26, 2018 Podcast

It's Better than It Looks: Reasons for Optimism in an Age of Fear, with Gregg Easterbrook

Today, many feel paralyzed by the constant stream of bad news. Yet as Gregg Easterbrook shows, statistics on crime, poverty, and longevity prove that things ...

Sophia the robot, speaking at the AI for GOOD Global Summit, 2017. CREDIT: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/itupictures/34328656564/">ITU Pictures</a> (<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">CC</a>)

FEB 26, 2018 Article

Artificial Intelligence's Ethical Challenges

"Like the situation with nuclear power, the world will likely only confront the ethical implications of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) technology after ...

CREDIT: <a hfer="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stratospheric_Particle_Injection_for_Climate_Engineering#/media/File:SPICE_SRM_overview.jpg">Hughhunt</a>. SPICE research project on solar radiation management (SRM). (<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/">CC</a>)

FEB 26, 2018 Article

Errors of Omission, Commission, and Emission: Moral Culpability in Climate Change and Considerations of Solar Radiation Management

"As it becomes clearer that we can't stop the repercussions of climate change through mitigation alone, an ugly question rears its head, presenting perhaps the ...

CREDIT: Via ,a href="https://pixabay.com/en/dna-string-biology-3d-1811955/">Pixabay</a> free images

FEB 26, 2018 Article

International Regulation of Genetic Engineering: Ethical Considerations in the 21st Century

"Though it may be tempting to advance this new technology as far as we can, we must realize that genetic engineering may come at significant ...

FEB 22, 2018 Podcast

Does Fake News Matter? with Brendan Nyhan

What are the real facts about fake news? Brendan Nyhan is co-author of an important new study on fake news consumption during the 2016 U.S. ...

Detail from book cover

FEB 21, 2018 Podcast

Virtual Reality for Social Good, with Jeremy Bailenson

In this fascinating conversation, Jeremy Bailenson, director of Stanford University's Virtual Human Interaction Lab, describes how virtual reality (VR) can be used as a force ...