Coding Kant: Building AI with a Moral Compass
Sune Selsbæk-Reitz
AI isn’t neutral — it reflects human choices, values, and blind spots. In this thought-provoking session, Sune Selsbæk-Reitz introduces Deontological Design: a principled approach to building AI systems that don’t just work well – but behave well. Drawing on moral philosophy and pop culture (yes, there are aliens involved), the talk explores how we can design AI that respects dignity, safeguards autonomy, and remains ethically grounded over time.
- AI ethics is not an add-on – it must be baked into system design.
- Most AI today is utilitarian by default; we need systems that consider how decisions are made, not just what outcomes are optimized.
- Real-world application begins with better questions, not perfect answers.
- Start asking value-based design questions in your own work: Who might this model fail? Can people understand its decisions? Are we still aligned with our original ethical principles?
- Evaluate your systems using the five Deontological Design pillars – where are you strong, and where could you improve?
- Bring others into the conversation: Share the framework with peers, stakeholders, or leadership to make ethics a shared responsibility.
- Connect with Sune on LinkedIn to continue the conversation and explore how this mindset could inform your AI practices.
Sune Selsbæk-Reitz is an experienced data professional with a passion for empowering organizations through strategic data insights and ethical AI solutions. With a background spanning product management, data and AI strategy, governance, and innovative work methods, he specializes in guiding teams toward success through thoughtful planning and execution.
Rooted in his academic foundation in philosophy, Sune approaches data strategy as more than just managing information—it’s about finding clarity within complexity. He believes in distilling problems to their essence, ensuring solutions are both purposeful and accessible. Guided by the principle “do less, more thoroughly,” he strives to balance depth with simplicity, focusing on what truly matters.
As the Data & AI Strategist at Demant, Sune is dedicated to fostering a future of data-driven decision-making with a people-first approach. He also curates Deontological Design, a LinkedIn newsletter exploring AI ethics through a philosophical lens, offering insights into building responsible and human-centered AI systems.