Bridging Ethics and Policy: An OPEN Conversation on Technology Foresight

In an era of rapid technological advancement, policymakers face the crucial task of anticipating techno-social trends in order to support technological innovation responsibly, sustainably, inclusively, and fairly. However, a significant challenge has emerged: current technology foresight methodologies can struggle with how to incorporate ethical considerations and those that do, have primarily been confined to academic settings. This gap highlights the urgent need for tools adapted to the policy-making context.

Recognizing this challenge, Associate Professor Federica Lucivero was awarded an OPEN Fellowship to collaborate with the Nuffield Council on Bioethics (NCOB). Lucivero's expertise in anticipatory ethics and technology assessment is being harnessed to co-design technology foresight tools that specifically embed ethics into policy decision-making. The NCOB, as the UK's national ethics body, plays a vital role in informing and supporting parliamentarians and governments on the identification and tackling of ethical implications arising from developments in biomedicine and health.

To highlight this important mission, an OPEN Conversation was hosted in May 2024, bringing together experts from science advisory roles and academia. This event provided a platform for discussing the intersection of ethics and policy in technology foresight.

The conversation featured insights from Lucivero, alongside Ruth Marshall, Head of Futures Capability at the UK Government Office for Science, and Jay Stone, Associate Director of External Relations and Foresight at NCOB. Together, they explored how to effectively integrate ethics into future thinking for advice given to policy makers.

Participants at OPEN Conversation on Technology Foresight

Meanwhile, Stone highlighted NCOB's mission to bridge the gap between academic research and practical policymaking, with a specific focus on ethical considerations. She emphasized NCOB's ambition to ensure ethical implications are considered earlier in the policy-development process. She outlined various ways researchers can influence policy - through brokers, funders, and embedded science advisors in government departments, emphasizing the importance of integrating ethical expertise throughout these channels. This approach, Stone argued, helps increase ethical capacity, thereby reducing the risk of ethics being reduced to a 'tick box' exercise in policy development.

The discussion touched on several key points:

1. Challenges of embedding anticipatory ethical thinking in the time-sensitive context of policy-decision making.
2. Strategies for building public trust around emerging technologies
3. The value of interdisciplinary collaboration in shaping ethical policies

One of the most intriguing takeaways was the potential for future scenarios to not only anticipate challenges but also to inspire more innovative and adaptable policies. Incorporating ethical considerations from the outset supports technological progress that aligns with societal values and promotes equality. In the context of an uncertain future, the insights from this event underscore the need for a proactive, ethically- informed approach to policymaking.

OPEN encourages researchers and policymakers to explore future collaborations through various funding schemes and initiatives. If you're a researcher, doctoral student, or member of the professional services staff at the University of Oxford and would like to stay informed about opportunities like the one described in this blog, we invite you to sign up for the OPEN Alert. This resource can help you stay connected with current opportunities to influence policy and contribute your expertise to shaping the future.