TLDR: A recent survey by the Governance Institute of Australia indicates that artificial intelligence is perceived as nearly as ethically challenging as embryo experimentation, ranking as the second most difficult future development to navigate ethically. The 2025 Ethics Index also identifies AI as the third most pressing ethical challenge for Australia, following cost-of-living pressures and housing affordability. The survey highlights a significant public concern regarding the ethical implications of emerging technologies.
A new report from the Governance Institute of Australia’s 2025 Ethics Index reveals a striking public perception: artificial intelligence is now considered almost as ethically contentious as embryo experimentation. The survey, a ‘pulse check’ of Australia’s moral principles, positions AI as the second most difficult future development to ethically navigate, trailing embryo experimentation by just one point.
Katrina Horrobin, chief executive of the Governance Institute of Australia, emphasized the gravity of these findings. “AI… is now ranked as the second most difficult future development to ethically navigate, just one point behind embryo experimentation. That’s a remarkable comparison, and it signals just how serious the public is about the ethical risks of emerging technologies,” she stated.
Beyond its future ethical complexities, the survey also identified the increased use of artificial intelligence as the third most pressing ethical challenge currently facing Australia. This ranks just behind the pervasive issues of cost-of-living pressures and housing affordability, underscoring AI’s immediate societal impact.
The 2025 Ethics Index further delved into demographic and sectoral ethical perceptions. It found that ‘Gen Z,’ defined as those born between 1996 and 2010, emerged as the ‘most ethically engaged’ cohort among respondents. In terms of professional ethics, doctors were rated highest by the public, followed by pharmacists, hospital staff, and then accountants.
Conversely, the social media sector was deemed the least trusted, with TikTok identified as the least ethical organization, ranking even below payday lenders, Twitter (now known as X), Facebook, and Instagram. When presented with various cost-of-living scenarios, respondents found supermarkets increasing their prices to be the most ethically unpalatable, surpassing concerns like politicians breaking election promises or GPs not offering bulk-billing.
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The Governance Institute concluded that the importance Australians place on ethics has reached its highest level in the decade since the annual survey began, reflecting a growing national consciousness around moral principles in both daily life and technological advancement.
