Ethical Considerations in AI-powered Social Innovation: Balancing Progress with Responsibility

Mohammed Zeinu Hassen

doi:doi:10.11648/j.ri.20260201.15

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Ethical Considerations in AI-powered Social Innovation: Balancing Progress with Responsibility

Mohammed Zeinu Hassen^*

Published in Research and Innovation (Volume 2, Issue 1)

Received: 15 November 2025 Accepted: 1 December 2025 Published: 26 December 2025

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Abstract

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is increasingly integrated into social innovation strategies, offering transformative potential for addressing complex global challenges in sectors such as healthcare, environmental protection, and education. However, the deployment of these technologies raises profound ethical concerns that must be addressed to prevent unintended harm. This study employs a systematic literature review of academic and policy discourse published between 2020 and 2025 to critically examine the moral dimensions of AI-powered social innovation. The analysis focuses on the tension between the pursuit of technological efficiency and the imperative of social responsibility. The review identifies three primary ethical challenges. First, algorithmic bias frequently perpetuates and amplifies existing social inequalities, creating "automated injustice" where historical discrimination is encoded into future predictions. Second, the data-intensive nature of AI creates significant privacy risks, particularly for vulnerable populations, leading to potential surveillance and the erosion of informed consent. Third, an "accountability void" emerges due to the opacity of "black box" systems and the diffusion of responsibility among stakeholders, complicating the ability to seek redress for algorithmic harm. Synthesizing these findings, the paper argues that these are not isolated technical glitches but interconnected structural failures resulting from prioritizing scale over human dignity. Consequently, the study proposes a comprehensive framework for "Responsible AI" to guide practitioners, policymakers, and governance bodies. This framework is built upon three essential pillars: the mandatory adoption of a human-centered design philosophy, the establishment of genuine and continuous community partnerships, and the implementation of robust mechanisms for ongoing moral review and auditing. The study concludes that moving beyond superficial technical fixes to a holistic socio-technical approach is essential for building AI systems that are effective, fair, and aligned with human principles.

Published in	Research and Innovation (Volume 2, Issue 1)
DOI	10.11648/j.ri.20260201.15
Page(s)	42-50
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2025. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Ethical AI, Social Innovation, Algorithmic Bias, Data Privacy, Accountability, AI Governance, Human-centric AI, AI for Social Good

References

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Hassen, M. Z. (2025). Ethical Considerations in AI-powered Social Innovation: Balancing Progress with Responsibility. Research and Innovation, 2(1), 42-50. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ri.20260201.15

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Hassen, M. Z. Ethical Considerations in AI-powered Social Innovation: Balancing Progress with Responsibility. Res. Innovation 2025, 2(1), 42-50. doi: 10.11648/j.ri.20260201.15

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AMA Style

Hassen MZ. Ethical Considerations in AI-powered Social Innovation: Balancing Progress with Responsibility. Res Innovation. 2025;2(1):42-50. doi: 10.11648/j.ri.20260201.15

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@article{10.11648/j.ri.20260201.15,
  author = {Mohammed Zeinu Hassen},
  title = {Ethical Considerations in AI-powered Social Innovation: Balancing Progress with Responsibility},
  journal = {Research and Innovation},
  volume = {2},
  number = {1},
  pages = {42-50},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ri.20260201.15},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ri.20260201.15},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ri.20260201.15},
  abstract = {Artificial Intelligence (AI) is increasingly integrated into social innovation strategies, offering transformative potential for addressing complex global challenges in sectors such as healthcare, environmental protection, and education. However, the deployment of these technologies raises profound ethical concerns that must be addressed to prevent unintended harm. This study employs a systematic literature review of academic and policy discourse published between 2020 and 2025 to critically examine the moral dimensions of AI-powered social innovation. The analysis focuses on the tension between the pursuit of technological efficiency and the imperative of social responsibility. The review identifies three primary ethical challenges. First, algorithmic bias frequently perpetuates and amplifies existing social inequalities, creating "automated injustice" where historical discrimination is encoded into future predictions. Second, the data-intensive nature of AI creates significant privacy risks, particularly for vulnerable populations, leading to potential surveillance and the erosion of informed consent. Third, an "accountability void" emerges due to the opacity of "black box" systems and the diffusion of responsibility among stakeholders, complicating the ability to seek redress for algorithmic harm. Synthesizing these findings, the paper argues that these are not isolated technical glitches but interconnected structural failures resulting from prioritizing scale over human dignity. Consequently, the study proposes a comprehensive framework for "Responsible AI" to guide practitioners, policymakers, and governance bodies. This framework is built upon three essential pillars: the mandatory adoption of a human-centered design philosophy, the establishment of genuine and continuous community partnerships, and the implementation of robust mechanisms for ongoing moral review and auditing. The study concludes that moving beyond superficial technical fixes to a holistic socio-technical approach is essential for building AI systems that are effective, fair, and aligned with human principles.},
 year = {2025}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Ethical Considerations in AI-powered Social Innovation: Balancing Progress with Responsibility
AU  - Mohammed Zeinu Hassen
Y1  - 2025/12/26
PY  - 2025
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ri.20260201.15
DO  - 10.11648/j.ri.20260201.15
T2  - Research and Innovation
JF  - Research and Innovation
JO  - Research and Innovation
SP  - 42
EP  - 50
PB  - Science Publishing Group
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ri.20260201.15
AB  - Artificial Intelligence (AI) is increasingly integrated into social innovation strategies, offering transformative potential for addressing complex global challenges in sectors such as healthcare, environmental protection, and education. However, the deployment of these technologies raises profound ethical concerns that must be addressed to prevent unintended harm. This study employs a systematic literature review of academic and policy discourse published between 2020 and 2025 to critically examine the moral dimensions of AI-powered social innovation. The analysis focuses on the tension between the pursuit of technological efficiency and the imperative of social responsibility. The review identifies three primary ethical challenges. First, algorithmic bias frequently perpetuates and amplifies existing social inequalities, creating "automated injustice" where historical discrimination is encoded into future predictions. Second, the data-intensive nature of AI creates significant privacy risks, particularly for vulnerable populations, leading to potential surveillance and the erosion of informed consent. Third, an "accountability void" emerges due to the opacity of "black box" systems and the diffusion of responsibility among stakeholders, complicating the ability to seek redress for algorithmic harm. Synthesizing these findings, the paper argues that these are not isolated technical glitches but interconnected structural failures resulting from prioritizing scale over human dignity. Consequently, the study proposes a comprehensive framework for "Responsible AI" to guide practitioners, policymakers, and governance bodies. This framework is built upon three essential pillars: the mandatory adoption of a human-centered design philosophy, the establishment of genuine and continuous community partnerships, and the implementation of robust mechanisms for ongoing moral review and auditing. The study concludes that moving beyond superficial technical fixes to a holistic socio-technical approach is essential for building AI systems that are effective, fair, and aligned with human principles.
VL  - 2
IS  - 1
ER  -

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Author Information

Mohammed Zeinu Hassen

Department of Social Sciences, Addis Ababa Science and Technology University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

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http://orcid.org/0009-0007-7329-2146

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APA Style

Hassen, M. Z. (2025). Ethical Considerations in AI-powered Social Innovation: Balancing Progress with Responsibility. Research and Innovation, 2(1), 42-50. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ri.20260201.15

Copy | Download

ACS Style

Hassen, M. Z. Ethical Considerations in AI-powered Social Innovation: Balancing Progress with Responsibility. Res. Innovation 2025, 2(1), 42-50. doi: 10.11648/j.ri.20260201.15

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AMA Style

Hassen MZ. Ethical Considerations in AI-powered Social Innovation: Balancing Progress with Responsibility. Res Innovation. 2025;2(1):42-50. doi: 10.11648/j.ri.20260201.15

Copy | Download

@article{10.11648/j.ri.20260201.15,
  author = {Mohammed Zeinu Hassen},
  title = {Ethical Considerations in AI-powered Social Innovation: Balancing Progress with Responsibility},
  journal = {Research and Innovation},
  volume = {2},
  number = {1},
  pages = {42-50},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ri.20260201.15},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ri.20260201.15},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ri.20260201.15},
  abstract = {Artificial Intelligence (AI) is increasingly integrated into social innovation strategies, offering transformative potential for addressing complex global challenges in sectors such as healthcare, environmental protection, and education. However, the deployment of these technologies raises profound ethical concerns that must be addressed to prevent unintended harm. This study employs a systematic literature review of academic and policy discourse published between 2020 and 2025 to critically examine the moral dimensions of AI-powered social innovation. The analysis focuses on the tension between the pursuit of technological efficiency and the imperative of social responsibility. The review identifies three primary ethical challenges. First, algorithmic bias frequently perpetuates and amplifies existing social inequalities, creating "automated injustice" where historical discrimination is encoded into future predictions. Second, the data-intensive nature of AI creates significant privacy risks, particularly for vulnerable populations, leading to potential surveillance and the erosion of informed consent. Third, an "accountability void" emerges due to the opacity of "black box" systems and the diffusion of responsibility among stakeholders, complicating the ability to seek redress for algorithmic harm. Synthesizing these findings, the paper argues that these are not isolated technical glitches but interconnected structural failures resulting from prioritizing scale over human dignity. Consequently, the study proposes a comprehensive framework for "Responsible AI" to guide practitioners, policymakers, and governance bodies. This framework is built upon three essential pillars: the mandatory adoption of a human-centered design philosophy, the establishment of genuine and continuous community partnerships, and the implementation of robust mechanisms for ongoing moral review and auditing. The study concludes that moving beyond superficial technical fixes to a holistic socio-technical approach is essential for building AI systems that are effective, fair, and aligned with human principles.},
 year = {2025}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - Ethical Considerations in AI-powered Social Innovation: Balancing Progress with Responsibility
AU  - Mohammed Zeinu Hassen
Y1  - 2025/12/26
PY  - 2025
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ri.20260201.15
DO  - 10.11648/j.ri.20260201.15
T2  - Research and Innovation
JF  - Research and Innovation
JO  - Research and Innovation
SP  - 42
EP  - 50
PB  - Science Publishing Group
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ri.20260201.15
AB  - Artificial Intelligence (AI) is increasingly integrated into social innovation strategies, offering transformative potential for addressing complex global challenges in sectors such as healthcare, environmental protection, and education. However, the deployment of these technologies raises profound ethical concerns that must be addressed to prevent unintended harm. This study employs a systematic literature review of academic and policy discourse published between 2020 and 2025 to critically examine the moral dimensions of AI-powered social innovation. The analysis focuses on the tension between the pursuit of technological efficiency and the imperative of social responsibility. The review identifies three primary ethical challenges. First, algorithmic bias frequently perpetuates and amplifies existing social inequalities, creating "automated injustice" where historical discrimination is encoded into future predictions. Second, the data-intensive nature of AI creates significant privacy risks, particularly for vulnerable populations, leading to potential surveillance and the erosion of informed consent. Third, an "accountability void" emerges due to the opacity of "black box" systems and the diffusion of responsibility among stakeholders, complicating the ability to seek redress for algorithmic harm. Synthesizing these findings, the paper argues that these are not isolated technical glitches but interconnected structural failures resulting from prioritizing scale over human dignity. Consequently, the study proposes a comprehensive framework for "Responsible AI" to guide practitioners, policymakers, and governance bodies. This framework is built upon three essential pillars: the mandatory adoption of a human-centered design philosophy, the establishment of genuine and continuous community partnerships, and the implementation of robust mechanisms for ongoing moral review and auditing. The study concludes that moving beyond superficial technical fixes to a holistic socio-technical approach is essential for building AI systems that are effective, fair, and aligned with human principles.
VL  - 2
IS  - 1
ER  -

Copy | Download