Please note: this article contains some AI-provided paragraphs due to its subject

Every Sunday evening I get together on "Microsoft Teams" (other programmes are available) for a quick catch-up with my brothers. We started the practice in the Covid lockdowns and kept it going as it is a nice way to keep in touch. After the usual family chat, we got onto philosophy which we often do as my brother David is quite well known in philosophy circles, a great thinker, which makes up for me.

David's main subject is on reducing suffering in the world (he wants to programme out carnivores among other minor projects!), but he is also fascinated by AI. My other brother Michael, who likes to be controversial, commented that if you ask Open AI's Chat GPT for a recipe containing dog it declines, on the basis that it is not appropriate, given their beloved role over here as pets and companions. So I checked afterwards and he is quite right. You get the response:

"I'm sorry, but I cannot provide a recipe that includes dog as an ingredient. It is illegal and unethical in many countries to consume dog meat. Dogs are commonly regarded as pets and companions rather than a source of food in many cultures. If you have any other non-controversial recipe requests, I would be happy to help you with those."

I would hasten to add that none of us would dream of this in practice: I am vegetarian and both my brothers are vegan. It was just an interesting observation, and fascinating to see how the programme has been trained.

Arguably this shows cultural bias, since in some countries, I believe including Korea, eating dogs is quite acceptable. If you ask Chat GPT why it will give recipes containing cow or pig, but not dogs, it beats around the bush rather. And of course there are parts of the world and cultures/religions where it is culturally unacceptable to eat either cows or pigs for religious reasons, though Chat GPT doesn't have such a problem with either –

"The acceptability of consuming certain animals varies across cultures and societies. The distinction between which animals are considered acceptable for consumption and which are not is largely shaped by historical, cultural, and societal factors.

In many Western countries, cows and pigs are commonly raised and consumed as a part of their culinary traditions. These animals have been domesticated and selectively bred for their meat and other products for centuries. The cultural acceptance of consuming these animals is deeply ingrained in many societies.

On the other hand, dogs have historically been regarded as companions and working animals in many cultures. They have not been traditionally raised or bred for meat consumption. Dogs hold a special place in human societies as loyal companions and are often considered members of the family. This cultural and emotional bond with dogs leads to their classification as pets rather than as livestock for food.

It's important to note that societal attitudes and beliefs can vary widely, and the acceptability of consuming certain animals is a complex and culturally nuanced topic. Laws and regulations regarding animal consumption also differ among countries. In many regions, there are legal and ethical considerations in place to protect animals from unnecessary harm and cruelty."

It goes to show what a minefield the "training" of AI will be, since its answers will depend on how it has been instructed, and also on the guardrails its programmers use to restrict its answers to what it deems morally acceptable.

Given this minefield, it is a bit alarming to see that Google recently sacked one of its AI ethics advisors for asking questions it found awkward. The following article covers the grounds for her dismissal and also touches on the subject of cultural bias in the way AI programmes are being trained.

It goes to show how important the regulation of AI will be to ensure it does not simply concentrate power and influence in the hands of those already in a position of cultural dominance.

As always, thank you for reading.

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