InnoEthics Week 6
What’s been happening recently in the world of ethical AI and technology ethics?
This week we cover the latest episode of the InnoEthics Live podcast, have a look at UNICEF’s updated guidance around child-centred AI, and discuss how AI and emerging technologies can be ethically and safely introduced into healthcare.
Episode 2 of InnoEthics Live, hosted by Allegra Cuomo and Daria Gjonbalaj
In this week’s episode of the InnoEthics Live podcast, Allegra Cuomo and Daria Gjonbalaj discuss the approaches towards AI governance of some of the major economic and political superpowers of the last century, comparing the models developed by different nations. Moreover, this episode discusses questions of what principles should be taken into consideration when assessing global AI governance.
By combining a philosophical point of view with a technical one, the InnoEthics Live podcast discusses these global and societal issues in a way that takes into consideration the multifaceted nature of these discussions.
Produced in conjunction with the InnoEthics initiative and Be the change. Media Network, this podcast is about tackling the prevalent existential questions relating to technology in our society, and how ethical approaches to this technology will allow us to develop and implement it in a way that has the most positive impact on society.
Use the link to check out our page, subscribe using your preferred media channel, and follow this page to stay up to date with fortnightly episodes: https://innoethicslive.podbean.com
We also now have an Instagram, so if you want to stay up to date there check out our page: https://www.instagram.com/innoethicslive?igsh=aW5oNGh0NTJqOGU2
Updated UNICEF Guidance on AI and Children
In this week’s newsletter I wanted to highlight the updated UNICEF recommendations for AI policies and systems that uphold child rights.
This is a part of their AI for children project, and the new guidance has been updated to “promote children’s rights in government and private sector AI policies and practices, and to raise awareness of how AI systems can uphold or undermine these rights”.
The guidance offers the following requirements for child-centred AI:
Ensure regulatory frameworks, oversight and compliance for child-centred AI
Ensure safety for children
Protect children’s data and privacy
Ensure non-discrimination and fairness for children
Provide transparency, explainability and accountability for children
Respect human and child rights through responsible AI practice
Support children’s best interests, development and well-being
Ensure inclusion of and for children
Prepare and skill children for present and future developments in AI
Create an enabling environment for child-centred AI
To read how the guidance was developed and to find further recommendations about how to implement this guidance in practice, use this link: https://www.unicef.org/innocenti/reports/policy-guidance-ai-children
How can we safely trial and introduce AI into healthcare?
A central theme of this newsletter is to highlight the many ways that AI and the integration of technology can have a truly positive impact on society - importantly, when done in ways that consider the ethical consequences of this and create effective and appropriate guardrails to safeguard and protect people too.
A recent article titled Paediatric surgeons weigh AI benefits against ethical challenges and practical barriers, discusses AI’s potential to enhance diagnostic precision and support clinical activity and decision making.
However, as when any new aspect is introduced in the world of healthcare, it is imperative that it be tested and trialed adequately to ensure the safety of patients, especially in the case of paediatrics.
The article builds off a journal focused on this topic, published in 2025 in the World Journal of Paediatric Surgery, featuring a study with responses from “surgeons across all six geopolitical zones to assess levels of AI awareness, patterns of use, and key ethical concerns”.
Responses found that ethical concerns were “nearly universal”, with questions of accountability for AI-related errors, consent from parents and guardians, and concerns about data protection and privacy, being widely mentioned.
Most respondents “expressed low confidence in existing legal frameworks and governing AI use in healthcare”, and called for stronger and clearer regulation, as well as standardised training to prepare for AI integration.
The study demonstrates a clear need for ethical frameworks and AI governance, with dedicated guidelines and regulation that would address concerns before we can consider integrating AI effectively and safely into healthcare, especially paediatric care.
To read the full article and journal: https://www.news-medical.net/news/20251226/Pediatric-surgeons-weigh-AI-benefits-against-ethical-challenges-and-practical-barriers.aspx