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Call for papers - Neuroethics and AI

Guest Editors

Michele Farisco, PhD, Uppsala University, Sweden
Agata Ferretti, PhD, ETH Zurich, Switzerland
 

Submission Status: Open   |   Submission Deadline: 2 April 2025

BMC Neuroscience is calling for submissions to a new Collection on neuroethics and AI. Topics of interest include the disciplinary collaboration between neuroethics and AI ethics, the ethical implications of neurotechnologies, neural augmentation and enhancement, consciousness and artificial intelligence, and neuroinformatics and data ethics. The goal is to advance the mutual collaboration between neuroethics and AI ethics as well as the understanding of the ethical challenges and opportunities at the core of neuroscience and artificial intelligence.



New Content ItemThis Collection supports and amplifies research related to SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being.

Meet the Guest Editors

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Michele Farisco, PhD, Uppsala University, Sweden

Dr Michele Farisco is a researcher affiliated with the Centre for Research Ethics and Bioethics, Uppsala University, Sweden, and with the Biogem Research Institute, Ariano Irpino (AV), Italy. He is the author of four books and several articles about posthumanism, ethical, legal and social implications (ELSI) of genetics and neuroscience, consciousness, Artificial Intelligence, and neuroethics.
 

Agata Ferretti, PhD, ETH Zurich, Switzerland

Dr Agata Ferretti is a senior researcher (Oberassistentin) at the Health Ethics & Policy Lab, Department of Health Science and Technology, ETH Zurich. Agata has a background in philosophy, bioethics, and global health policy. During her studies, she investigated issues related to neuroethics, particularly those concerning neuroenhancement and digital applications for mental health. Her doctoral work focused on the ethics and governance of big data in biomedical research. Leveraging both conceptual and empirical research methods, Agata's most recent work aims to address ethical dilemmas related to AI and digital health. She has collaborated with various stakeholders from academia, the private sector, and NGOs, developing policy roadmaps to promote the development and responsible use of technology, particularly in the areas of youth, reproductive, and mental health.
 

About the Collection

BMC Neuroscience is calling for submissions to a new Collection on neuroethics and AI. Topics of interest include the disciplinary collaboration between neuroethics and AI ethics, the ethical implications of neurotechnologies, neural augmentation and enhancement, consciousness and artificial intelligence, and neuroinformatics and data ethics. The goal is to advance the mutual collaboration between neuroethics and AI ethics as well as the understanding of the ethical challenges and opportunities at the core of neuroscience and artificial intelligence.

The rapid advancement of AI technologies has generated implications for both neuroscience and ethics concerns. From brain-computer interfaces to machine learning algorithms deciphering neural patterns, AI promises to reshape our understanding of the brain raising profound implications. As neuroscience delves deeper into the mechanisms of cognition, behavior, and consciousness, it encounters ethical dilemmas that demand careful consideration and interdisciplinary dialogue, including insights from AI (e.g., Artificial Neural Networks and Generative Models).

In an era marked by unprecedented technological innovation, the continued advancement of our collective understanding of neuroethics and AI is paramount. Understanding the ethical implications of AI integration into neuroscience not only safeguards against potential harms but also ensures that these transformative technologies are deployed responsibly and equitably. Interdisciplinary research into ethics and AI has already yielded significant insights, facilitating the development of ethical guidelines, regulatory frameworks, and public discourse surrounding emerging neurotechnologies. Looking ahead, continued exploration of this intersection holds promise for facilitating a wide societal impact of groundbreaking discoveries, including better diagnosis, more reliable prognosis, enhanced therapeutic interventions for neurological disorders, and the democratization of access to neuroscientific knowledge and interventions. By fostering collaboration across disciplines, we can harness the transformative potential of neuroethics and AI to advance human well-being and address several complex challenges of the 21st century.

Topics to be analyzed at the intersection of neuroethics and AI include, but are not limited to:
•    Ethical considerations in neuroenhancement
•    Patient rights in neuromodulation therapies
•    Informed consent challenges in psychiatric neurotechnologies
•    Deep brain stimulation and subjective experience
•    Neuroethics in the global environment of neuroscience research
•    Ethical implications of AI-driven neuromodulation technologies
•    Neuroethics of brain-computer interfaces
•    Privacy concerns in neuroimaging research
•    AI and the future of informed consent in neuroscience
•    Ethical dilemmas in cognitive enhancement research
•    Collaboration between neuroethics and AI ethics
•    Perspectives on global mental health and AI-powered neuroscience

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  1. The scientific relationship between neuroscience and artificial intelligence is generally acknowledged, and the role that their long history of collaboration has played in advancing both fields is often emphas...

    Authors: Arleen Salles and Michele Farisco
    Citation: BMC Neuroscience 2024 25:41
    Content type: Review Published on:

Submission Guidelines

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This Collection welcomes submission of original Research Articles. Should you wish to submit a different article type, please read our submission guidelines to confirm that type is accepted by the journal. Articles for this Collection should be submitted via our submission system, Snapp. During the submission process you will be asked whether you are submitting to a Collection, please select "Neuroethics and AI" from the dropdown menu.

Articles will undergo the journal’s standard peer-review process and are subject to all of the journal’s standard policies. Articles will be added to the Collection as they are published.

The Editors have no competing interests with the submissions which they handle through the peer review process. The peer review of any submissions for which the Editors have competing interests is handled by another Editorial Board Member who has no competing interests.