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AI Ranks Just Behind Embryo Experimentation as Top Ethical Dilemma, Governance Institute of Australia Survey Finds

The West Australian

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A pulse check of Australia’s moral principles suggests people believe artificial intelligence could present nearly as many ethical conundrums as embryo experimentation. 

Summary

A recent survey conducted by the Governance Institute of Australia highlights the increasing ethical concerns surrounding artificial intelligence, which ranks closely behind embryo experimentation as a significant dilemma. The 2025 Ethics Index reveals that AI is the third most pressing ethical challenge currently, following cost-of-living pressures and housing affordability. This survey underscores the public's awareness of and engagement with the ethical risks posed by emerging technologies. The findings also indicate that Gen Z appears to be the most ethically engaged in this context. The study provides valuable insights for policymakers and regulators concerning the prioritization of ethics in technology deployment.

Body

A pulse check of Australia’s moral principles suggests people believe artificial intelligence could be as ethically contentious as embryo experimentation in the future. Governance Institute of Australia’s chief executive said the group’s 2025 Ethics Index also ranked the increased use of artificial intelligence as the third most pressing ethical challenge facing the country right now, after cost-of-living pressures and housing affordability. “AI ... is now ranked as the second most difficult future development to ethically navigate, just one point behind embryo experimentation. That’s a remarkable comparison, and it signals just how serious the publicJU is about the ethical risks of emerging technologies,” Katrina Horrobin said. Governance Institute found Gen Z, born between 1996 and 2010 according to McKinsey, to be the “most ethically engaged” cohort based on survey responses. As for professions, doctors were ranked by respondents to show the most ethical behaviour, followed by pharmacists then hospital staff and then accountants. Social media was deemed the least trusted sector, and TikTok viewed as the least ethical organisation after payday lenders, Twitter (now known as X), Facebook then Instagram. Respondents voted supermarkets increasing their prices as the most ethically unpalatable out of a range of living cost- related scenarios, ahead of breaking an election promise and GPs who don’t offer bulk-billing. Governance Institute said the importance Australians place on ethics was the highest it had been in the decade the survey has been running.