From Control to Flourishing: Responsible Generative AI and the Limits of Meaningful Human Control

This paper explores the ethical challenges, particularly around Responsible AI, from the integration of large language models (LLMs) in generative AI (GenAI) applications across various domains. While LLMs enhance creativity, improve productivity, and enable human-like conversations, their opaque reasoning raises concerns about accountability and moral responsibility. The paper points out the limits of the existing framework of Meaningful Human Control (MHC), which emphasizes human oversight of AI systems. I argue that MHC alone is insufficient in addressing the challenges posed by LLMs. Instead, I suggest that MHC needs to be supplemented with virtue ethics and virtue epistemology, which focuses on exercising ‘acts of intellectual virtue’, such as open-mindedness, critical thinking, and epistemic humility. By integrating these frameworks, I propose a more holistic approach to Responsible GenAI to counteract the risks of automation complacency, to promote a more responsible, thoughtful engagement with GenAI, and ultimately to foster human flourishing and safeguard against the erosion of cognitive skills due to GenAI use.