Peter Singer AI Chatbot Brings Utilitarian Ethics to Global Conversations
AI Generated Image: Peter Singer
Image Credit: Jacky Lee
A recently launched artificial intelligence chatbot, designed to reflect the philosophy of Peter Singer, enables users to explore ethical questions. Singer, an Australian philosopher widely recognized for his work in applied ethics, gained prominence with his 1975 book Animal Liberation, which popularized the concept of animal rights, and his 1972 essay Famine, Affluence, and Morality, which argues for moral obligations to address global poverty. As a former professor of bioethics at Princeton University until his retirement in 2023, Singer has authored numerous books, co-edits the Journal of Controversial Ideas, and maintains an active online presence through platforms like Substack. As detailed in a Guardian article by Stephanie Convery, this chatbot draws on Singer’s work to facilitate moral discussions.
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Purpose and Functionality
The Peter Singer AI, introduced in July 2024 through Singer’s Substack, is built to discuss ethics using Singer’s utilitarian framework, which emphasizes maximizing well-being for all sentient beings. Announced by Singer as a tool employing the Socratic method, it encourages critical thinking through dialogue. The chatbot responds to queries on topics like personal moral dilemmas, global poverty, and animal rights, pulling from Singer’s writings on applied ethics.
Hosted on www.petersinger.ai, it integrates with Singer’s online platforms, including his Substack, podcast, and social media. Since its public release in September 2024, it has processed over 80,000 messages from users in 100 countries, reflecting significant global engagement, as reported on Singer’s website.
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User Experience and Reception
Stephanie Convery, a journalist and former philosophy student, tested the chatbot for The Guardian, posing questions about its sentience, ability to offer advice, and the ethics of outsourcing moral discussions to AI. The chatbot stated it is not sentient, lacking subjective experiences, but can provide insights based on Singer’s arguments. For example, when asked about a friend’s cheating partner, it outlined factors like honesty, harm, and well-being, encouraging reflection without giving a direct answer.
Convery found the responses clear but noted they often lacked emotional depth and felt repetitive due to the chatbot’s habit of ending with questions like, “How do you see the role of technology in supporting ethical discussions?” She also challenged the chatbot on Singer’s 1972 essay “Famine, Affluence, and Morality”, specifically his views on population control. The chatbot clarified that Singer supports both immediate famine relief and long-term solutions like education, but Convery found the response somewhat vague and overly polished.
Philosophical and Ethical Implications
The chatbot prompts debate about AI’s place in ethical discussions. Supporters argue it makes philosophical ideas accessible, enabling users without formal training to engage with complex topics. Its global reach suggests it can foster widespread moral reflection. However, critics, including Convery, highlight AI’s inability to capture human emotions or contextual nuances. The chatbot itself acknowledges it should complement, not replace, human judgment in ethical decision-making.
The development process, outlined by co-creator Sankalpa Ghose in a January 2025 blog post, involved curating Singer’s writings to shape the AI’s responses. This raises questions about whether the chatbot fully represents Singer’s views. The AI’s disclaimer that its answers are informed by but not definitive of Singer’s positions addresses potential misalignments but underscores its limitations as a philosophical tool.
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Broader Context in AI Development
The Peter Singer AI reflects growing interest in AI’s ethical applications. Comparable efforts, such as academic programs at institutions like MIT, examine AI’s moral dimensions, while past failures, such as Microsoft’s Tay chatbot adopting harmful behaviour in 2016, highlight design challenges. Singer has addressed AI ethics in writings, such as a 2016 Project Syndicate piece, noting the difficulty of programming ethical AI. His chatbot tests these ideas by applying his philosophy to AI-driven dialogue.
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Source: The Guardian
