A selection of articles, op-eds, TV segments, and other media featuring Ethics Center staff and programs.
The Markkula Center for Applied Ethics does not advocate for any product, company, or organization. Our engagements are intended to provide training, customized materials, and other resources. The Markkula Center does not offer certifications or seals of approval.
"Ethics in the Age of AI, a survey commissioned by the Ethics Center's Institute for Technology, Ethics, and Culture (ITEC) was referenced by Investopia in an article outlining the evolution of business ethics over decades, and the current responsibilities for companies developing AI.
"Ethics in the Age of AI" poll conducted by the Ethics Center was cited in an article from Investopia.
The role of Silvers in sensitive employee discussions becomes muddy when her position as an HR representative and a board member clash, said Ann Skeet, the senior director of leadership ethics.
“It is not best practice, in my point of view,” she said.
The nonprofit sector often has board members who provide services to the organization, with the best of intentions, Skeet said. It does not happen all the time, and when it does, it reflects badly on the field, she said.
Ann Skeet, senior director, leadership ethics, quoted by The Sacramento Bee (article behind paywall).
Digital Journal reports:
"As more companies adopt generative artificial intelligence models, AI ethics is becoming increasingly important. Ethical guidelines to ensure the transparent, fair, and safe use of AI are evolving across industries, albeit slowly when compared to the fast-moving technology.
Questions about equity and ethics may force companies to slow down development.
"The Vatican is even getting in on the action—it collaborated with the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University, a Catholic college in Silicon Valley, to recommend specific steps for companies to navigate AI technologies ethically."
The Institute for Technology, Ethics, and Culture (ITEC), a collaboration between the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics and the Vatican, featured by Digital Journal.
The ITEC Handbook, the Markkula Center's collaboration with the Vatican, is cited by Tech Target as an important resource for companies in their effort to develop responsible AI.
The handbook includes a five-stage maturity model with specific, measurable steps that enterprises can take at each level of maturity. It also promotes an operational approach for implementing ethics as an ongoing practice, akin to DevSecOps for ethics. The core idea is to bring legal, technical and business teams together during ethical AI's early stages to root out bugs at a time when they're much cheaper to fix than after responsible AI deployment.
"Ethics in the Age of Disruptive Technologies: An Operational Roadmap (The ITEC Handbook) cited by Tech Target.
The San Francisco Chronicle reports San Francisco Human Rights Commission Executive Director Sheryl Davis was presented with a large and vibrant portrait of herself that the nonprofit group Urban Ed Academy commissioned from a local artist as a gift to Davis.
Urban Ed at the time of the gift, was also seeking a $270,000 grant from the Commission.
John Pelissero, director of government ethics, said it would be hard for the public not to draw a connection between the gift and the nonprofit’s ensuing contract with the Human Rights Commission.
Pelissero was not persuaded by the defense that Davis posted on social media.
“It fails any kind of reasonable test that she didn’t accept the gift,” Pelissero said. “If she didn’t intend to accept it and it showed up at her office, she should have sent it away.”
John Pelissero, director, government ethics, quoted by the San Francisco Chronicle.
Questions about Musk’s role surfaced after the administration submitted court filings indicating the Tesla CEO is not a DOGE employee.
“The administration is really trying to, I think, create confusion about what Musk’s role is,” said John Pelissero, director of government ethics.
Pelissero suggested that the confusion surrounding Musk’s role has allowed him to skirt typical ethics rules, such as filing financial disclosures or divesting from business interests that pose conflicts.
“It’s like an elusive object out there that no one seems to be able to rein in because Trump is letting Musk do whatever he wants,” Pelissero added.
John Pelissero, director, government ethics, quoted by The Hill and syndicated across ABC News, Fox News, Yahoo News UK, and other outlets.
Are machines replacing humans?
Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff told shareholders on a Salesforce earnings call, that “...we are the last generation [of CEO's] to manage only humans,” Benioff said.
Ann Skeet, senior director of leadership ethics at the Markkula Center, said Benioff's comments on AI have a tangible impact on his employees.
"I think it's unfortunate that he refers to these AI agents as 'digital workers,' for example, I think anthropomorphizing technology really loses sight of the value that human beings bring to the workforce," Skeet said.
Ann Skeet, senior director, leadership ethics, quoted by NBC Bay Area.
San Jose Spotlight highlights a recent report from TruckInfo.net, which compiled U.S. Census data nationwide comparing the median incomes of men and women.
Ann Skeet, senior director of leadership ethics at Santa Clara University Markkula Center for Applied Ethics, said the report shows the gender pay gap exists, even in female-dominated industries like registered nursing, where women are paid 90 cents to every dollar men earn.
“It tells us that it persists even in those job functions that are predominantly held by females,” Skeet told San José Spotlight.
Ann Skeet, senior director, leadership ethics, quoted by San Jose Spotlight.
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