Ethics in the Age of AI: Insights from the EBEN Annual Conference (23.9.2025)

Last spring, the European Business Ethics Network (EBEN) brought together a group of scholars, educators, and practitioners for its Annual Conference in Munich, Germany. The conference was held at the Catholic Academy in Bavaria from May 29 to 31, 2025. It unfolded in a setting rich with intellectual history and atmosphere, an ideal backdrop for ethical thought. The conference theme, “Artificial Intelligence, Business Ethics and Corporate Responsibility: Challenges and Opportunities for Business and Society”, provided an excellent platform to examine the ethical implications of AI as an emerging technology that is reshaping both business and society. The conference gathered 80 participants from EBEN- member countries in Europe and from outside the region. Over the course of three days, attendees joined keynote panels, parallel sessions, and informal networking events that highlighted EBEN’s importance as a forum for ethical dialogue and academic collaboration.

Reframing Business Ethics in a Digital Era

The conference highlighted a growing consensus that the integration of AI into business practices is not merely a technological concern, but a deeply ethical one. Across numerous sessions, themes such as algorithmic transparency, fairness, accountability, human rights, and sustainability were explored in the context of AI-driven transformation.

Conference presentations examined how AI is influencing sectors such as human resources, finance, education, and supply chain management, raising critical questions about autonomy, bias, data governance, and the future of ethical leadership. What stood out was a clear takeaway: businesses can’t just sit back and react to the changes AI brings. They need to step up and actively shape the ethical boundaries of these technologies before they shape us.

Exploring Diverse Perspectives and Practices

The parallel sessions offered a wide range of contributions from theoretical frameworks and empirical research to practical case studies and pedagogical innovations. Topics included ethical challenges in global value chains, the regulation and governance of AI, the changing role of business schools, and the evolving expectations of corporate responsibility in politically complex environments.

Importantly, many discussions emphasized the need to contextualize ethical decisions within local, institutional, and geopolitical settings. As AI becomes more integrated into global systems, the complexity of ethical decision-making grows, requiring businesses and educators to navigate competing values, stakeholder expectations, and evolving legal standards.

Ethics Education and Experiential Learning

Another aspect highlighted in the conference was the role of education in fostering ethical sensitivity and critical thinking. Several presentations explored innovative approaches to ethics teaching, including the use of generative AI to simulate ethical dilemmas in business contexts. These tools offer powerful opportunities to engage students experientially, helping them reflect on complex scenarios involving technology, sustainability, and human rights.

Such pedagogical developments align closely with the goals of responsible management education, underlining the importance of preparing future leaders to make ethically informed decisions in complex and fast developing digitally mediated environments.

Final thoughts and looking ahead to the next EBEN conference

The EBEN 2025 Annual Conference made it clear that as AI technologies become more embedded in everyday business operations, the demand for ethical guidance, critical scholarship, and inclusive dialogue will become more relevant. The EBEN community represents an unique opportunity to contribute to these conversations by bridging academic research, policy engagement, and practical application.

We left the conference energized and with a clearer sense of direction, having gained deeper insights into the ethical challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. More than just an academic gathering, the event was a powerful reminder that ethics is not just a topic for discussion, it is a crucial lens for shaping the future of business in a world that is changing fast.

Looking ahead, the EBEN Research Conference 2025 is set to take place on October 9–10 at the Faculty of Business & Economics in Cádiz, Spain. This upcoming event will dive into the intersection of business ethics, innovation, and sustainability, sparking conversations on how organizations can drive responsible innovation while staying grounded in ethical decision-making and long-term societal impact.

Blog authors: Md Shahed Mahmud and José-Carlos García-Rosell, Oulu Business School, University of Oulu. A generative AI tool was used for copyediting purposes.