The ethical agency of AI developers

Abstract Public and academic discourse about the ethics of artificial intelligence, machine learning, data science has largely focused on algorithms companies deploying them. Little attention been paid to ethical agency developers. This study is first its kind that centers developers in environment. Semi-structured interviews with 40 being a developer revealed more than 20 themes, 3 which are subject this paper: occupational ecosystem, agency, characteristics an developer. These themes reveal significant gaps between how perceive themselves reality their work experiences. Their likewise variable. They have some authority intervene for reasons systems they on, but often do not realize just many decisions make. Nonetheless, reveals growing wisdom community, one needs be surfaced nurtured by engaging