Sanjay Pradhan, president of the World Forum for Ethics in Business (WFEB), has warned that artificial intelligence represents “humanity’s greatest ethical test,” calling for a global shift from purely regulatory restraints to “conscience-driven” corporate leadership.
Speaking at a gathering organised by the IAA India Chapter in Mumbai, in association with Rediffusion and Free Press Journal, Pradhan argued that the rapid deployment of AI is already outstripping human oversight. He cited warnings from industry pioneers, including Geoffrey Hinton, the Godfather of AI, regarding “civilisational risks” posed by autonomous systems operating beyond human control.
Market dividends and ‘moral courage’
The WFEB, an organisation born out of the 2008 financial crisis, is positioning ethical AI as a competitive advantage rather than a regulatory burden. Pradhan claimed that ethical companies outperform their peers by 25 per cent, suggesting that consumer loyalty is shifting toward brands that treat data privacy as a fundamental human right.He highlighted the divergence between Anthropic and OpenAI as a case study in market consequences. Anthropic recently declined a multimillion-dollar US defence contract over concerns regarding autonomous weaponry and surveillance. Pradhan noted that while OpenAI accepted the contract, it faced a consumer-led “Quit-GPT” campaign, whereas Anthropic saw a subsequent surge in valuation and public trust.
The four urgent frontiers
The WFEB’s “AI Ethics Partnership” has identified four areas requiring immediate intervention:
- Disinformation: With the EU forecasting that 70 per cent of online content will be AI-generated by 2030, Pradhan called for universal watermarking standards to distinguish fact from synthetic fiction.
- Algorithmic Bias: He cited the Dutch childcare benefit scandal—where an algorithm’s false fraud allegations against 26,000 families led to the government’s resignation—as evidence of the “profound harm” caused by un-audited data.
- Data Privacy: Pradhan advocated for “privacy by design,” citing Apple as a leader in institutionalising data protection to drive brand recognition.
- Labour Displacement: With AI projected to disrupt 300 million jobs globally—disproportionately affecting women—Pradhan urged companies to adopt “Workforce Impact Disclosures”.
A ‘three-layered’ approach to governance
Pradhan introduced a “three-layered” model for operationalising ethics, moving from technical code to individual conscience.
- Outcomes (The Outer Layer): Visible value created for society, verified through independent certification similar to FSC stamps for timber or Fairtrade coffee.
- Culture (The Middle Layer): Moving beyond compliance to instill a collective ethical environment within organisations.
- Conscience (The Inner Layer): Drawing on the philosophy of Art of Living Guru, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Pradhan argued that “absolute intelligence” must guide “artificial intelligence.” He advocated for meditative practices among tech leaders to sharpen the “inner compass” required to resist the “cold logic of algorithms”.
A ‘murmuration’ against surveillance
Concluding with an appeal to collective action, Pradhan likened the current tech landscape to a murmuration of starlings. “Individual citizens and businesses are like starlings,” he said. “Alone, we feel helpless in the face of the falcons of disinformation and surveillance. But if we rise together, we can steer the most powerful technology toward serving humanity.”The WFEB is currently holding worldwide consultations to refine its ethical framework, seeking to bridge the gap between Silicon Valley innovation and ancient philosophical traditions of accountability.
- Published On Mar 11, 2026 at 06:15 PM IST
Join the community of 2M+ industry professionals.
Subscribe to Newsletter to get latest insights & analysis in your inbox.
All about ETBrandEquity industry right on your smartphone!
