Ethics Readiness of Technology: The Case for Aligning Ethical Approaches with Technological Maturity

Abstract

The ethics of emerging technologies faces an anticipation dilemma: engaging too early risks overly speculative concerns, while engaging too late may forfeit the chance to shape a technology’s trajectory. Despite various methods to address this challenge, no framework exists to assess their suitability across different stages of technological development. This paper proposes such a framework. I conceptualise two main ethical approaches: outcomes-oriented ethics, which assesses the potential consequences of a technology’s materialisation, and meaning-oriented ethics, which examines how (social) meaning is attributed to a technology. I argue that the strengths and limitations of outcomes- and meaning-oriented ethics depend on the uncertainties surrounding a technology, which shift as it matures. To capture this evolution, I introduce the concept of ethics readiness—the readiness of a technology to undergo detailed ethical scrutiny. Building on the widely known Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs), I propose Ethics Readiness Levels (ERLs) to illustrate how the suitability of ethical approaches evolves with a technology’s development. At lower ERLs, where uncertainties are most pronounced, meaning-oriented ethics proves more effective; while at higher ERLs, as impacts become clearer, outcomes-oriented ethics gains relevance. By linking Ethics Readiness to Technology Readiness, this framework underscores that the appropriateness of ethical approaches evolves alongside technological maturity, ensuring scrutiny remains grounded and relevant. Finally, I demonstrate the practical value of this framework by applying it to quantum technologies, showing how Ethics Readiness can guide effective ethical engagement.