Ethical Issues Related To The Use Of Al-Based Algorithms In Pandemics And Other Public Health Emergencies

Non-transparency is a problem in many areas of artificial intelligence - including, and perhaps especially, algorithmic decision-making systems. The problem is not only technical but also ethical. Nevertheless, algorithmic systems based on artificial intelligence are being used more and more frequently and in more and more areas. They also help us during emergencies, and the current COVID-19 pandemic is no exception. During this pandemic, many Al systems proved to be extremely useful, yet their use, largely due to their often-non-transparent nature, raises many ethical questions. We are faced with the dilemma of whether the use of successful systems that do not operate transparently can be ethically acceptable (in emergencies). The possible responses are threefold: the adaptation of the traditional notion of transparency in decision-making, the adaptation of normative basis and the restriction of the use of non-transparent algorithmic decision-making systems.