UPSC Notes

Ethics in Artificial Intelligence (AI)

PYQs

8

Articles

1

Momentum

21

Phase IFoundation

Background

Overview

Ethical frameworks are essential for harnessing AI's benefits while mitigating its risks, ensuring its development aligns with human values, social justice, and constitutional principles, particularly in areas like data privacy and intellectual property.

Ethics in Artificial Intelligence (AI) refers to the set of moral principles and values that guide the design, development, deployment, and use of AI systems, addressing concerns such as fairness, accountability, transparency, privacy, and the impact on human autonomy and societal well-being.

Phase IIStatic core

Facts & tables

Key facts

Common concerns

Concerns include threats to originality, dulling critical intellect, risks of data leakage, and erosion of human creativity.

Plagiarism vs. AI use

The article distinguishes AI-assisted writing from plagiarism, defining the latter as theft of ideas and work.

Data leakage

Data leakage is framed as a research-design failure, not an inherent property of AI tools, emphasizing researcher responsibility.

Root of resistance

Historical context suggests resistance to AI often stems from protecting existing power structures rather than principled ethical positions.

Reference table

Static syllabus anchors

TypeReference
Conceptual areaScience & Technology
Phase IIIExam lens

Prelims angle

Overview

Prelims angle: Multi-statement analysis

Prelims angle: Conceptual understanding

Quick revision

  • Key ethical concerns: originality, intellect, data leakage, creativity.
  • AI use is not plagiarism; plagiarism is theft of ideas.
  • Data leakage is a design flaw, not inherent to AI.
  • Resistance to AI ethics often masks power dynamics.
  • Better tools redirect, not suppress, creativity.

High-confidence PYQs

Topic timeline

Science & Technology

Why not normalise use of AI in writing?

28 Aug 2026 · Ethical debates around AI in writing, including originality, intellect, data privacy, and creativity, are often rooted in protecting established power, with the article distinguishing AI use from plagiarism and advocating for responsible integration.

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Related topics

Practice writing on this topic

UPSC has asked 8 linked questions on Ethics in Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Mains. Write an answer to one — and get it evaluated.

UPSC Prelims PYQs on Ethics in Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Practice official previous year questions asked by UPSC related to this concept.

With reference to Web 3-0, consider the following statements : 1. Web 3-0 technology enables people to control their own data. 2. In Web 3-0 world, there ca...

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Consider the following statements with respect to the AI Impact Summit, 2026 held in New Delhi : 1. The Summit's intellectual framework was based on three f...

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Which of the following statements with regard to Large Language Models (LLMs) used in machine learning is/are correct ? 1. LLMs assign probabilities to the ...

2026·Science & Technology
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Which of the following statements regarding the features of blockchain technology are correct? 1. Records stored in the database may be made visible to rele...

2026·Science & Technology
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In India, it is legally mandatory for which of the following to report on cybersecurity incidents? 1. Service providers 2. Data centres 3. Body corporate...

2017·Science & Technology
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With reference to communication technologies, what is/are the difference/differences between LTE (Long-Term Evolution) and VoLTE (Voice over Long-Term Evolut...

2019·Science & Technology
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With the present state of development, Artificial Intelligence an effectively do which of the following? 1. Bring down electricity consumption in industrial ...

2020·Science & Technology
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Which of the following statements with regard to drone swarms is/are correct ? 1. They use Terahertz band of frequency to communicate with the command centr...

2026·Science & Technology
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