Locating the Ethics of ChatGPT — Ethical Issues as Affordances in AI Ecosystems

Carsten Stahl, Bernd

Abstract

ChatGPT is a high-profile technology that has inspired broad discussions about its capabilities and likely consequences. There has been much debate concerning ethical issues that it raises which are typically described as potentially harmful (or beneficial) consequences of ChatGPT. Concerns relating to issues such as privacy, biases, infringements of intellectual property, or discrimination are widely discussed. The article pursues the question of where these issues originate and where they are located. This article suggests that these ethical issues of the technology are located in the technology’s affordances. Affordances are part of the relationship between user and technology. Going beyond existing research on affordances and ChatGPT, the article suggests that affordances are not confined to the relationship between humans and technology. A proper understanding of affordances needs to consider the role of the socio-technical ecosystem within which these relationships unfold. The article concludes by explaining the implications of this position for research and practice.

Citation

Carsten Stahl, B. (2025). Locating the Ethics of ChatGPT — Ethical Issues as Affordances in AI Ecosystems. Information, 16(2), Article 104. https://doi.org/10.3390/info16020104

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Feb 2, 2025
• Online Publication Date: Feb 5, 2025
• Publication Date: Feb 5, 2025
• Deposit Date: Feb 8, 2025
• Publicly Available Date: Feb 10, 2025
• Journal: Information
• Electronic ISSN: 2078-2489
• Publisher: MDPI
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 16
• Issue: 2
• Article Number: 104
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/info16020104
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/45161457
• Publisher URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2078-2489/16/2/104