Advancing Responsible Technology
through Solutions-Based Research and Education
The AI Ethics Lab at Rutgers University is an international research initiative based in Camden, New Jersey, US, that examines the ethical and legal implications of artificial intelligence across its lifecycle, from development to deployment.
Our researchers advance a solutions scholarship methodology that identifies ethical challenges while developing practical strategies to help leaders build technologies that benefit humanity and the environment. We emphasize not only what we are against, but what we are striving toward.
From Moral Distance to Moral Imagination
“Is ‘smart’ the best we can imagine for this century’s technology?
Or should we be striving for something more?
Many of the harms caused by artificial intelligence are not due to a lack of intelligence. They are failures of the imagination.
They come from the moral distance between those who build and regulate AI systems and the people whose lives they affect.
Think of the distance between a product developed in one culture and the people living with its impact in another. Think of the psychological distance between those designing AI companions and the children who use them.
I founded the AI Ethics Lab at Rutgers University to help close those gaps.
How? We train leaders across sectors to practice moral imagination: the ability to step into an ethical dilemma and understand multiple perspectives. Through role-plays and case studies, leaders uncover blind spots before those moral gaps become real harms.
When we cultivate empathy, especially for the most vulnerable, we bridge that moral distance. We move from building smart tech to empowering humans to make wise choices. 
Ambassador Prof. Muhammadou M. O. Kah, Ph.D., Visiting Scholar at the AI Ethics Lab
Global Engagements
Founded by Principal Investigator Dr. Nathan C. Walker, the AI Ethics Lab is housed in the Department of Philosophy & Religion in the College of Arts and Sciences at Rutgers University–Camden.
The AI Ethics Lab operates within a growing international network of research appointments, scholarly contributions, and invited talks and workshops across academia, industry, government, and nonprofit sectors. Dr. Walker’s recent engagements include:
- Served as a Visiting Academic at the Institute for Ethics in AI, University of Oxford
- Presented AI and human rights research at a safety conference at UNESCO, Paris
- Moderated a North–South Policy Dialogue on AI and Human Rights at Stellenbosch University, South Africa
- Contributed to Aspen Digital’s Defining Technologies of Our Time
From Rights to Code to Governance
The AI & Human Rights Index translates eight decades of human rights law
into a technical protocol that powers a flywheel to evaluate and improve AI systems.
Step 1.
Build AI & Human Rights Index
Map the relationship among AI, human rights, and legal instruments across societal sectors, with special attention to vulnerable groups.
Step 2.
Design Technical Protocol
Translate the legal index into a structured semantic system for evaluating how AI systems may violate or advance human rights.
Step 3.
Activate Governance Flywheel
Enable a continuous feedback system that democratizes the training of AI systems by integrating diverse cultural and legal perspectives.
Together, these steps protect human dignity and strengthen AI governance across disciplinary and cultural contexts.
Our research creates scalable, dynamic frameworks for public engagement.
Democratizing
AI Ethics through Design
Project Insight addresses challenges in online behavior and technology use by introducing Self-Reflection Technology.
By helping individuals develop personalized ethical frameworks, it empowers users to self-regulate their digital lives.
The goal is to elevate human agency, enhance self-efficacy, and promote a more responsible digital culture.
Timely and Timeless Education
The AI Ethics Lab contributes to interdisciplinary teaching across undergraduate and graduate programs, equipping students to examine and address the ethical and legal implications of artificial intelligence. Courses include:
Honors College
Philosophy
From Principles to Practice
The AI Ethics Lab translates research into practice through applied ethics programs that support leaders across sectors.
Academia
Advancing teaching, learning, and research on AI, ethics, and law through invited talks and collaborations, including engagements at Columbia University and Virginia Tech.
Government
Conducting legal research on local, state, national, and international approaches to artificial intelligence governance.
NGOs
Delivering talks and workshops for nonprofit organizations, including the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice and the International Rescue Committee.
Industry
Facilitating ethics-to-industry workshops that help founders and global technology leaders identify risks, reduce harms, and build trustworthy AI systems.
Training AI Founders
The Moral Imagination Exchange (MIX) is an applied ethics program that trains founders and leaders of AI-driven companies to identify and mitigate ethical and legal risks. Through case studies and Socratic seminars, participants develop their Decision Infrastructure for the AI Lifecycle (DIAL), a framework they present to stakeholders and investors as evidence of their commitment to building trustworthy AI systems. These programs reflect the lab’s solutions-based approach, translating ethical principles into practice.
Get Involved
For Students
Join the lab as a Research Assistant or Teaching Assistant, or earn academic credit.
For Experts
Contribute your expertise to research, publications, and applied ethics initiatives.
For Philanthropists
Make a tax-deductible contribution to the Humans First Fund.
Measurable Impact
The AI Ethics Lab, rooted in Camden, New Jersey, advances research and engagement with national and international reach.
- Building research collaborations spanning North America, Europe, Africa, and Asia
- Contributing to global AI governance conversations, including UN-affiliated convenings
- Publishing books, policy reports, and peer-reviewed scholarship
- Recruiting interdisciplinary student cohorts representing 15 academic disciplines
- Delivering dozens of invited talks and workshops across academic, industry, and public-sector institutions
Recent Highlights
Presenting the AI & Human Rights Index at a global convening on safe and ethical AI.
