Ethical considerations and policy interventions concerning the impact of generative AI tools in the economy and in society

Artificial intelligence plays an increasingly important role in our daily lives as well as in the development of world economies. In this perspective article, we focus on a recent application of Artificial Intelligence (generative AI models, such as ChatGPT), which are based on machine learning (ML) and are applied to Natural Language Processing (NLP). We look (Sect. 2) at the potential positive impact of these models in the economy. In Sect. 3, we present a series of ethical, sociological, and political reflections that are supposed to highlight the dangers of the uncritical implementation of these tools in society. Specifically, we discuss (Sect. 3.1 and 3.2) two policy interventions aimed at mitigating the potentially nefarious effects of this technology. These interventions are designed to preserve social equality and ensure transparency and pluralism. We wrap up this paper by offering our readers the coordinates of a virtue ethics approach that can serve as a framework for further interventions aimed at pursuing human flourishing; that is, social and moral good.