Manifesto for Generative AI in Higher Education

Imagination, Humanity, and the Future

Statement 26 of 30

Ethics is a foundation, not a footnote.

Why this matters

Responsibility should not arrive as a final slide in a presentation; it should breathe through every decision. Ethical reflection belongs in the design stage of every policy, course, prompt, and dataset used. The most sustainable systems are those that start with conscience, not compliance.

A question for reflection

What would change if ethical reflection happened at the design stage of your courses rather than at the end?

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The conversation so far

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Cite this statement
Farrell, H. & McCarthy, K. (2025). Statement 26: "Ethics is a foundation, not a footnote." Manifesto for Generative AI in Higher Education. GenAI:N3. https://manifesto.genain3.ie/26/