Boundaries Between Research Ethics and Ethical Research Use in Artificial Intelligence Health Research

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Artificial Intelligence Ethics
• Research Governance

Background:

• Ethical research governance in higher education is under long-term scrutiny.
• Recent mandates require researchers to address societal impact and ethical dimensions via Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI).
• Artificial intelligence (AI) in population health research presents complex ethical challenges regarding societal impact.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore how ethical dimensions of societal impact are integrated into research agendas.
• To investigate the separation between research ethics and the ethics of societal impact.
• To analyze case studies of AI population health research in the UK and Canada.

Main Methods:

• A mapping study of journal publications.
• Semi-structured interviews with 18 researchers.
• Case study analysis of AI population health research.

Main Results:

• Researchers frequently distinguish between the ethical responsibility of their research conduct and the ethical implications of its societal impact.
• Current practices may not fully integrate the ethical considerations of research outcomes into the research agenda.
• The 'Ethics Ecosystem' faces challenges in bridging this perceived gap.

Conclusions:

• The separation of research ethics from societal impact ethics poses challenges for responsible innovation.
• Further integration is needed to align research agendas with the ethical dimensions of societal impact.
• Implications for researchers and the broader Ethics Ecosystem require careful consideration.