The Black Box: Transparency, Trust & AI

[Note: these questions were written in the summer of 2026. It seems that every aspect of AI’s development, usage, and impact is evolving at a rapid pace. Take that into account and use relevant, recent information in formulating your answers and arguments.]

1. Many of the speakers voiced suspicion of AI because it is not clear how it works, yet ChatGPT was adopted around the world at record rates. Does lack of transparency really have the negative impact that we think it does on adoption of AI? What is your experience?
2. If you drive a car but don’t know how the catalytic converter works or use a computer without knowing how its insides work, should we be surprised that you will use AI even if it is a “black box” to you? Or will that keep you and others from using AI? What is your prediction? Has it had that impact so far?
3. Is it possible that even if people will adopt AI without full disclosure of how that AI works, they might favor products of a firm that discloses more about how their AI works over products of a firm that discloses less? Explain your reasoning.
4. If people do indeed readily adopt AI even in the absence of transparency, what options do we have to encourage transparency other than the profit motive? Should governments require disclosure to ensure transparency? Could disclosure to government regulators be more effective in preventing problems than disclosure to consumers who may not understand what is being disclosed to them? Explain your reasoning.
5. Which approach might produce transparency more effectively— preemptive government disclosure requirements or post hoc imposition of liability? Which do you think is the preferable approach and why?
6. We know that some chatbots have encouraged users to commit suicide or violence toward others. After an incident involving OpenAI’s ChatGPT, AI researcher Stephen Adler suggested: “For OpenAI to build trust, it should commit to a consistent schedule of publicly reporting its metrics for tracking mental health issues (perhaps quarterly). Other tech companies, like YouTube, publish similar transparency reports….” Does this sound like a good idea to you? Should AI companies be required to make such transparency reports? Should such reports remain voluntary? Explain your reasoning.
7. If you think that “transparency reports” mentioned in the previous question seem like a good idea, what other subjects might be disclosed in such reports?
8. All Ethics Unwrapped videos disclose when AI has been used in their making. Should all video makers issue such disclosures voluntarily? Should such disclosures be required by the government? Why or why not?
9. Substantial research is starting to show that AI can create more persuasive messages than human beings can. Therefore, many observers have called for transparency, for requiring political candidates and others to disclose when they use AI to create ads and other communications. Unfortunately, as cognitive scientist Stephen Lewandowsky reports, “… my research shows that even if people know that they are being manipulated by A.I., the manipulation is still effective — transparency about A.I. is by itself insufficient to eliminate its effect on people.” How do you feel about this? Does it worry you? Why or why not? What should we do about it? What can we do about it?

AI Ethics Companion Handbook

This e-book compiles all the resources on AI ethics available on the Ethics Unwrapped website. It will continue to be updated as new materials are published.

A recent resource from Ethics Unwrapped is a book, Behavioral Ethics in Practice: Why We Sometimes Make the Wrong Decisions, written by Cara Biasucci and Robert Prentice. This accessible book is amply footnoted with behavioral ethics studies and associated research. It also includes suggestions at the end of each chapter for related Ethics Unwrapped videos and case studies. Some instructors use this resource to educate themselves, while others use it in lieu of (or in addition to) a textbook.

The most recent article written by Cara Biasucci and Robert Prentice describes the basics of behavioral ethics and introduces Ethics Unwrapped videos and supporting materials along with teaching examples. It also includes data on the efficacy of Ethics Unwrapped for improving ethics pedagogy across disciplines. Published in Journal of Business Law and Ethics Pedagogy (Vol. 1, August 2018), it can be downloaded here: “Teaching Behavioral Ethics (Using “Ethics Unwrapped” Videos and Educational Materials).”

Cara Biasucci also wrote a chapter on integrating Ethics Unwrapped in higher education, which can be found in the latest edition of Teaching Ethics: Instructional Models, Methods and Modalities for University Studies. The chapter includes examples of how Ethics Unwrapped is used at various universities.

An article written by Ethics Unwrapped authors Minette Drumwright, Robert Prentice, and Cara Biasucci introduce key concepts in behavioral ethics and approaches to effective ethics instruction—including sample classroom assignments. Published in the Decision Sciences Journal of Innovative Education, it can be downloaded here: “Behavioral Ethics and Teaching Ethical Decision Making.”

A detailed article written by Robert Prentice, with extensive resources for teaching behavioral ethics, was published in Journal of Legal Studies Education and can be downloaded here: “Teaching Behavioral Ethics.”

Another article by Robert Prentice, discussing how behavioral ethics can improve the ethicality of human decision-making, was published in the Notre Dame Journal of Law, Ethics & Public Policy. It can be downloaded here: “Behavioral Ethics: Can It Help Lawyers (And Others) Be their Best Selves?”

A dated (but still serviceable) introductory article about teaching behavioral ethics can be accessed through Google Scholar by searching: Prentice, Robert A. 2004. “Teaching Ethics, Heuristics, and Biases.” Journal of Business Ethics Education 1 (1): 57-74.