AI’s New Frontier: The Moral Futures Project

By Steve Davies

As is often the case, what I am now calling AI’s New Frontier: The Moral Futures Project is the outcome of many experiences, conversations, patience and, in all modesty, lengthy and solid research. Then there are the submissions I’ve made to Senate Committees and the like in relation to whistleblowing, anti-corruption measures, change and, of course, moral disengagement.

Then there are the many conversations I’ve had with people impacted by the behaviours and practices of government agencies. Through it all, five questions haunt me:

1. Why do they, bureaucrats and politicians, behave the way they do?
2. Why don’t they acknowledge the harms they inflict?
3. Why do they see important questions as threats?
4. Why have they lost sight of people?
5. Why won’t they change?

The short answer? The explanation to that is summed up in one phrase “Normalised moral disengagement”. Otherwise good people doing, or being a party to, bad things.

For some time, including in recent times, I have attempted to engage the Australian Public Service Commission on the issue of moral disengagement. From the outset I have made a point of being very patient.

The bottom line? They don’t engage. Despite the world-renowned work of Professor Albert Bandura. The other learning in all of this? Government and the Australian Public Service are all for technology that empowers them.

In contrast, they are dead against technologies that empower people. Am I surprised? No. I have 40+ years knowledge and experience in that regard.

My observation? The sense of perceived threat on the part of government and officials increases in direct proportion to the extent to which technology empowers people.

And then enters AI. But AI’s potential to empower people – like exposing moral disengagement in the PwC scandal – threatens those who profit from opacity, from consultancies to government silos. That’s why we must act now, in 2025.”

The major driver, the basic rule, behind all this. There’s one version of the truth, one official narrative, and it’s driven by moral disengagement.

Here we are in 2025, and the situation is more dire than ever. Hence all of the work I have done now comes down to the question of using AI to push back against moral disengagement. To normalise moral engagement.

Hence what is now AI’s New Frontier: The Moral Futures Project. The focus? Empowering people. Let me introduce the knowledge and tools available to you right now. It’s time to act.

AI’s New Frontier: Moral Futures

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Steve Davies is a retired public servant. His expertise is in the areas of organisational research and people development. He’s always been attracted to forward looking work. He’s a vocal critic of destructive, cruel and backwards looking behaviours and practices.

Over the years he’s spoken in depth with whistleblowers and advocated the use of technology (including social media tech) to empower people to do great things together.

His thinking and work have been heavily influenced by such great thinkers and researchers as Shoshana Zuboff, Albert Bandura and Peter Senge for decades.

 

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