The Italian Society for Ethics of AI (www.sipeia.it) is organizing online PhD courses on “Ethics and AI” in English language offered to several PhD programmes.
Edition 2025
Abstract:
This interdisciplinary course coorganized with AIDA intends to provide a brief overview of the main ethical issues concerning AI from an interdisciplinary perspective. The starting point is the clarification of what an “ethics” is, so as to offer the reference coordinates of the discourse, which is then articulated in the analyzes by way of examples of specific issues in the different directions. In particular, issues relating to the impact that AI has and will increasingly have on social life are examined, especially concerning the problem of biases and of generative AI; the interconnections with medicine and health care; the methods of legal regulation, such as the AI Act of the EU. It will discuss also AI’s impact on defense, warfare, and geopolitics.
Teachers:
Maurizio Mori, Consulta di Bioetica Onlus
Tiziana Catarci, DIAG, Università la Sapienza Roma
Giovanni Sartor, CIRSFID, Università di Bologna
Guido Boella, Dipartimento di Informatica, Università di Torino
Ioannis Pitas, Chair of the International AI Doctoral Academy (AIDA)
Intended Audience:
PhD students at various stages of their programs, as well as any interested scholars and members of the general public.
Programme:
4 hours: – Maurizio Mori: Two hours dedicated to outlining a theory of ethics capable of addressing moral analyses of human societies and larger communities. The remaining two hours apply these conceptual tools to analyze the potential interactions between AI and health care.
2 hours – Tiziana Catarci: Biases in AI
4 hours – Guido Boella: A comprehensive overview of the various ethical issues related to AI, with reflections on its societal and ethical impact.
4 hours – Giovanni Sartor: A session reflecting on the relationship between AI applications and human rights, discussing implications for data protection and consumer protection, and examining the EU’s AI Act.
1 hour – Guido Boella: Ethical aspects of LLMs (Large Language Models).
1 hour – Ioannis Pitas: AI, War and Geopolitics. This lecture explores AI’s impact on defense, warfare, and geopolitics. Global military spending surpassed $2 trillion in 2022, with AI driving the arms race. Lethal Autonomous Weapons (LAWs), like drones, raise ethical and security concerns, while AI-powered cyberwarfare poses severe risks. Geopolitically, the EU remains weak, and the U.S. faces decline, partly due to underestimating China’s AI rise. As global power shifts toward autocratic regimes, democratic nations must collaborate to defend democracy and secure technological leadership.
Schedule:
2 April 2025, Wed 11:00 – 13:00 CET Guido Boella (LINK TO FOLLOW THE LESSON)
9 April 2025, Wed 14:00 – 16:00 CET Tiziana Catarci (LINK TO FOLLOW THE LESSON)
16 April 2025, Wed 14:00 – 16:00 CET Giovanni Sartor (LINK TO FOLLOW THE LESSON)
23 April 2025, Wed 14:00 – 16:00 CET Giovanni Sartor (LINK TO FOLLOW THE LESSON)
30 April 2025, Wed 14:00 – 16:00 CET Maurizio Mori (LINK TO FOLLOW THE LESSON)
7 May 2025, Wed 14:00 – 16:00 CET Maurizio Mori (LINK TO FOLLOW THE LESSON)
14 May 2025, Wed 11:00 – 13:00 CET Guido Boella (LINK TO FOLLOW THE LESSON)
14 May 2025, Wed 12:00 – 13:00 CET Ioannis Pitas (SAME LINK AS ABOVE)
21 May 2025, Wed 11:00 – 13:00 CET Guido Boella (LINK TO FOLLOW THE LESSON)
Registration:
To register for the course students please fill out this brief form.
Course costs:
For AIDA students: free.
For students enrolled outside Italy: free.
For students in Italy who require a certificate of attendance and/or exam: free for those who subscribe to Italian Society for Ethics of AI SIpEIA.
Free for non PhD students.
Subscriptions to SIpEIA are welcome in all cases to support our activities.
If you are an AIDA Student already, please:
a) register with this form
AND
b) also enroll in the same course in the AIDA system
in order for this course to be
included on your AIDA Course Attendance Certificate.
If you are not an AIDA Student, follow only the instructions in step (a).
*AIDA Students should have been registered in the AIDA system already (they are PhD students or PostDocs that belong only to the AIDA Members list).
Modality:
This online course is conducted entirely in English. Each session will be broadcast live, recorded, and subsequently published on SIpEIA’s video channel. Registered users will receive connection links, which will also be available on the SIpEIA course website. Please note that live attendance is mandatory for those wishing to take the exam—simply watching the recordings will not suffice.
Exam modality (for those who wishing to take the exam):
Submit an article (approximately 5000 characters) in either English or Italian on a topic addressing the ethical aspects or societal impact of AI, drawing on your research experience. Your piece should be accessible to a broad audience—including those without a technical background—and should engage readers with thoughtful insights and clear language. Best submissions will be featured in our Magazine Intelligenza Artificiale magia.news.
Prerequisites:
No prior technical or philosophical knowledge is required to attend the course.
Credits and Hours:
16 hours of online lectures are offered, with the possibility to earn 1.5 credits (subject to the rules of each PhD programme).
For more information write to info@sipeia.it
Edition 2023
Abstract:
The course intends to provide a brief overview of the main ethical issues concerning AI from an interdisciplinary perspective. The starting point is the clarification of what an “ethics” is, so as to offer the reference coordinates of the discourse, which is then articulated in the analyzes by way of examples of specific issues in the different directions. In particular, issues relating to the impact that AI has and will increasingly have on social life are examined, especially concerning the problem of biases; the interconnections with medicine and health care; the methods of legal regulation.
Teachers:
Maurizio Mori; Consulta di Bioetica Onlus
Tiziana Catarci; DIAG, Università la Sapienza Roma
Giovanni Sartor; CIRSFID, Università di Bologna
Guido Boella; Dipartimento di Informatica, Università di Torino
Addressees: PhD students at different phases of their PhD programme. Open to all other scholars.
Programme:
4 hours: Maurizio Mori: The first two hours are dedicated to outlining a theory of ethics capable of accounting for moral analyzes for human societies and also for larger societies. The other two hours try to apply the conceptual tools acquired for a moral analysis of the possible interactions between AI and health care.
2 hours: Tiziana Catarci: Biases in AI
4 hours: Guido Boella: Panorama of the various ethical issues of AI. Reflection on the impact of AI in society and ethics.
2 hours: Giovanni Sartor: From ethics to law. Reflection on the relationship between artificial intelligence applications and human rights. Implications for data protection and consumer protection.
Link for connecting to all lessons
Modality
Online. The lessons will be recorded and published on SIpEIA’s website.
You can receive an attendance certificate if you need it and you follow the online lessons or give the exam. The number of credits depends on your PhD program, please ask your coordinator.
The exam consists in a 2 page report on a topic concerning Ethics and AI, preferrably related to your research. The report must be directed toward the general public, as a dissemination effort, and not solely directed to scientists.
There is no strict deadline for the exam. If you need to take an exam, please write to info@sipeia.it proposing a topic and a deadline.
Schedule: (link to calendar)
Wed 4/10/2023 h9.00-11.00 CEST Guido Boella (recording)
Wed 11/10/2023 h9.00-11.00 CEST Maurizio Mori (recording)
Wed 18/10/2023 h9.00-11.00 CEST Tiziana Catarci (slides) (recording)
Wed 25/10/2023 h9.00-11.00 CEST Guido Boella (recording)
Wed 8/11/2023 h9.00-11.00 CEST Maurizio Mori (recording)
Wed 15/11/2023 h9.00-11.00 CEST Giovanni Sartor (recording)
Mode:
Online. The lessons will be recorded and published on SIpEIA’s website. The links for connections will be communicated later on
Edition 2021
Abstract:
The mini-course intends to provide a brief overview of the main ethical issues concerning AI from an interdisciplinary perspective. The starting point is the clarification of what an “ethics” is, so as to offer the reference coordinates of the discourse, which is then articulated in the analyzes by way of examples of specific issues in the different directions. In particular, issues relating to the impact that AI has and will increasingly have on social life are examined; the interconnections with medicine and health care; the methods of legal regulation.
Teachers:
Maurizio Mori; Dipartimento di Filosofia e Scienze dell’Educazione; Unito.
Guido Boella; Dipartimento di Informatica, Unito.
Giovanni Sartor; CIRSFID, Unibo.
Addressees: PhD students at different phases of their PhD programme, in particular:
Dottorato in Informatica e Matematica dell’Università degli Studi di Bari Aldo Moro
Dottorato in Informatica dell’Università di Torino
Dottorato di ingegneria informatica, Università di Roma La Sapienza
Programme:
4 hours: Maurizio Mori: The first two hours are dedicated to outlining a theory of ethics capable of accounting for moral analyzes for human societies and also for larger societies. The other two hours try to apply the conceptual tools acquired for a moral analysis of the possible interactions between AI and health care.
2 hours: Guido Boella: Panorama of the various ethical issues of AI. Reflection on the impact of AI in society and ethics.
2 hours: Giovanni Sartor: From ethics to law. Reflection on the relationship between artificial intelligence applications and human rights. Implications for data protection and consumer protection.
Schedule:
3rd June h14.30 Prof. Maurizio Mori: recording
4th June h14.30 Prof. Maurizio Mori: recording
7th June h14.30 Prof. Guido Boella: recording
10th June h14.30 Prof. Giovanni Sartor: recording
Mode:
online. The lessons will be recorded. The links for connections will be communicated later on