Programming Code Artificial integrity over intelligence
The loyalty to artificial intelligence lies in the code we created. This is both its power and its danger.
AI as we know it mimics a form of intelligence, but hollow – it lacks a moral core. For decades we have invented and trained machines to calculate results, not uphold principles. Leadership in the next era requires us to fix this.
This is why the next era of leadership must embrace what I call Artificial integrity– the fusion of intelligence with principled reasoning.
If history teaches us anything, it is that leadership falters without moral clarity.
It is no longer enough to create systems that calculate value; we need to create systems that understand values.
Intelligence that is divorced from values is no better than a ship without a keel, which sets courses without taking into account the consequences.
Integrity, not intelligence, is the missing piece. Intelligence without integrity is a story without morals.
It is the factor that ensures that decisions – whether made by humans or algorithms or both – are not only logical, but also ethical, moral, socially acceptable and responsible.
Integrity must become the north star of any AI algorithm, a fundamental requirement that ensures that AI technologies not only serve us, but also serve us. Good. That means something simple: integrity is not a characteristic; it is the architectural basis of any functioning system, whether it is a society system, an organizational system, a human system or an AI system.
As machines accompany humans not only as tools, but also as cognitive agents, capable of decision-making, adaptation and action – as we enter an age where machines not only assist us, but also influence us, learn from us and evolve with us – it is not enough to wonder whether such a system works. We have to ask ourselves whether it works fairly.
The question is: can we no longer build intelligent machines? We know the answer to that. The question now is: can we ensure that they are integrity machines?
The next era requires more than just intelligent machines; it requires machines capable of integrity-oriented reasoning. It is about embedding ethical, moral and social reasoning in AI systems.
Leadership must champion this redefinition.
Today’s leaders for tomorrow are those who see not only what AI can do, but also what AI should do.
This is the ultimate test of leadership in the next era.
It requires ruthless focus, unyielding commitment and, above all, a willingness to challenge the status quo.
This isn’t about control; this is about stewardship. It’s about ensuring that the systems we create elevate humanity rather than diminish it.
This is about artificial integrity over artificial intelligence, as no amount of the latter will ever replace the need for the former.
This is the principle that transforms AI leadership from an exercise of power to a service.
Imagine a future where governments use AI to create policies that balance economic growth with environmental sustainability. These systems don’t just analyze data; they assess the ethical, moral and social implications of long-term policy decisions.
Imagine AI-powered education platforms that not only adapt to each student’s learning style, but also actively address systemic biases. These systems advocate for equal opportunities and provide disadvantaged students with tailor-made resources to bridge educational gaps.
Imagine a logistics AI that not only optimizes routes for efficiency, but also prioritizes carbon-neutral delivery methods, recommends shifts to renewable energy use, and incentivizes local supply chains to reduce the global carbon footprint.
Think of an AI-powered investment advisor that not only focuses on maximizing profits, but also evaluates the social and environmental impact of investments and steers clients toward sustainable and equitable economic growth.
Imagine self-driving cars that not only avoid accidents, but make ethical decisions in real time to prioritize the safety of the most vulnerable road users (pedestrians, cyclists and animals), based on context-sensitive reasoning.
Imagine AIs in the field of urban planning that not only optimize infrastructure for population density, but also advocate for resilience to natural disasters, ensuring equitable access to resources during crises and reconstruction efforts.
Artificial integrity is the new AI frontier.
The question is not only how we make this happen, but also what moves us forward.
While the journey to artificial integrity may seem ambitious, the seeds of this transformation are already being planted.
Anthropic’s approach to aligning AI systems with ethical principles is encapsulated in its concept of Constitutional AI. By integrating these principles directly into the AI development process, Anthropic is advancing a vision of AI that not only serves human needs, but does so in a way that consistently aligns with values.
Ilya Sutskever, co-founder and former chief scientist of OpenAI, has launched a new venture called Safe Superintelligence Inc. (SSI). In September 2024, the company secured $1 billion in funding from leading investors. SSI is committed to developing super-intelligent AI systems with a primary focus on security and ethical alignment.
More recently, the somewhat controversial OpenAI, in partnership with Duke University, is advancing the integration of morality into AI systems through a three-year, $1 million project entitled Research AI Morality, to develop algorithms that predict human moral judgments, making them integrity-based . aware of and attuned to human values.
This reflects the necessary change in leadership to address the ethical, moral and social implications and challenges of AI technologies, and ensure that AI systems operate not only with intelligence but also with integrity.
And this calls for more; Much more leadership is needed to embrace this change, as the shift towards artificial integrity over intelligence will only come through the power of distribution, not that of concentration.
True leadership readiness for the next era must ensure that machines not only work for us, but work for us of us, while aligning with our highest ideals.
To lead this journey, we need visionaries, creators and leaders who understand that the greatest achievements are those built on values and a shared sense of purpose. This isn’t just about building smarter machines; it’s about building a better world.
There is so much work, so many challenges to overcome, to get there; but it is clear: integrity, not intelligence, is the new black.
