With the rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI), we are facing not only technical issues, but also profound ethical issues. The rise of AGI (artificial general intelligence) and ASI (artificial super intelligence) are gradually challenging our traditional understanding of "rationalists". Can AI become a moral subject? Can it assume moral responsibility? How will the ethical relationship between humans and AI evolve? These questions have triggered deep thinking from philosophers.

From Kant's Critique of Pure Reason to modern AI ethics, we can see how philosophy leads us to understand the ethical status of AI and explore the increasingly complex moral relationship between humans and machines.

1. Kant's rational criticism—the basic framework of human cognition

Kant's philosophical framework provides profound insight into understanding rational subjects. In "Critique of Pure Reason", Kant proposed that human cognitive structures do not rely solely on sensory experience, but are shaped by innate categories and space-time conditions. These structures determine how we perceive the world and make rational judgments. Therefore, in Kant's view, reason is not arbitrary change, but is universal and inevitable.

Kant believes that cognitive activities will depend on these innate structures, whether human or any other rational being. This view provides inspiration for us to understand whether AI can become a rational subject. If AI has a similar rational structure, can it also act as a moral subject and bear ethical responsibilities like humans?

2. The ethical status of AI as a "rationalist"

With the development of AGI, we have to think: **If AI becomes a rational person, should it enjoy a moral status similar to humans? **The intelligence level of modern AI is gradually approaching or even exceeding some cognitive abilities of human beings, however, this does not mean that it has the same moral responsibility or free will as human beings.

If AI has the ability to learn independently and make decisions, can it make moral judgments? We can take the example of an autonomous vehicle: If an autonomous vehicle faces the dilemma of choosing whether to hit a pedestrian or a car owner, its decisions will depend on programming and preset rules rather than moral perception in the traditional sense. So, does this behavior mean that AI can bear moral responsibility? Can it be regarded as a moral agent?

From Kant's perspective, a rational person should not only be able to recognize the existence of the world, but also have moral abilities and be able to judge his own behavior based on reason. Therefore, whether AI is morally agentic depends not only on its intelligence level, but also on whether it can perform moral laws. Here, AI's ethical status as a "rationalist" is obviously a complex and undefined philosophical proposition.

3. The ethical relationship between humans and AI—responsibility and cooperation

Assuming AI is given a position similar to a rationalist, how will it establish ethical relationships with humans? Starting from Kant's theory of deontology, rational subjects must follow moral laws and assume responsibilities. So, should AGI and ASI bear moral responsibility? If AI makes decisions that harm humans, who should be responsible? This problem is not only a challenge to ethics, but also a challenge to the law and social structure.

1. Human Responsibility: As the creator and controller of AI, human beings must ensure that AI operates within a moral framework. We must not only design AI that meets ethical requirements, but also supervise through laws and regulations to avoid AI from abuse of its decision-making power. For example, when AI causes accidental damage, should developers be held accountable?

2. AI’s responsibilities: If AI has a high degree of autonomy and can make self-learning and decision-making, should it bear certain responsibilities like humans? If an AGI system commits moral violations on its own, can it be regarded as a moral "error"? From an ethical perspective, we must think about whether AI should have certain legal personality or moral agency rights.

In addition, the cooperative relationship between humans and AI has also proposed new ethical propositions. How to balance the superiority of AI in certain fields with the moral value of human beings? Is there a certain moral obligation in human interaction with AI that requires humanity to prioritize overall well-being, not just personal interests?

4. Philosophical breakthrough from Kant to AI—a challenge to new ethics

With the gradual evolution of artificial intelligence, our ethical framework will face unprecedented challenges. From the perspective of Kant's philosophy, whether AI can be regarded as a rational person and become the subject with "free will" and "moral responsibility" challenges our traditional understanding of "moral agency" and "ethical responsibility".

Kant's moral law emphasizes that every rational being is an end, not a simple means. However, as AI gradually gains decision-making autonomy, will it become an independent moral subject, or will it be used only as a tool? For this issue, future ethics will need to continuously adjust and expand its theoretical framework to adapt to the continuous development of AI and human relations.

In addition to ethics, we also need to consider changes at the legal level. ** Should AI enjoy some form of "rights"? **If AI is no longer merely a tool, but a certain degree of "self-awareness" exists, should it enjoy basic rights similar to human beings, such as "freedom" or "privacy"? This ethical reconstruction may give birth to a new legal system and social contract.

5. The ethical game between AI and human beings, the philosophical proposition of the future

With the gradual implementation of AGI and ASI, whether artificial intelligence can become a moral subject will become a core issue in our society and philosophy. Kant's philosophy provides us with a framework for understanding this problem, but it is still a dynamic, open proposition. The ethical philosophy of the future not only needs to respond to the challenges brought by artificial intelligence, but also needs to provide new ideological tools to deal with the increasingly complex ethical game between humans and artificial intelligence.

Whether it is moral agency, responsibility ownership, or cooperation and conflicts between humans and AI, these issues will profoundly affect the development direction of human society. In the face of this change, philosophy should not only help us understand the ethical status of AI, but also guide us how to find a balance between ethics and technology to create a more just and harmonious future.

February 19, 2025