Marieke Peeters: Ethical AI in practice

Interview by Carine du Pisanie

Marieke Peeters, senior researcher, consultant and teacher in the 2025/2026 RightBrains Digital Leadership Programme, is more versed than most in the complex and systemic nature of building responsible and ethical AI. But in her view, AI is not the conductor of this grand performance; it is just one of the many instruments in the orchestra. The real challenge and opportunity lie in how SMEs, big business, and society at large can tune in to one another to create greater harmony towards ethical AI. 

Ethical AI and the role of governance

Marieke certainly has a unique vantage point on the topic of ethical AI in the Netherlands and across Europe. Some of the large projects that she is involved in as a researcher, is a collaboration with prominent applied universities to set up a research group that rises above institutional silos and specialises in responsible applied AI. Another is a comprehensive effort with partners to accumulate practical knowledge about how the region can navigate the AI transition. “Many institutions, companies, labs, and community groups are working together to deploy artificial intelligence in line with our cultural values and the AI act in general,” Marieke explains. Although there are holistic efforts to consider AI governance on macro levels and to create a trickle-down of knowledge, Marieke also assists smaller enterprises, which lack large research and development (R&D) capabilities, to consider AI innovation against the backdrop of their corporate values. As a representative of the academic community, in addition to being a private freelancer and consultant, she has both reservations and is optimistic about what AI innovation can mean for the future.

Why ethical AI matters for SMEs and beyond

“When I’m asked to pinpoint what excites me about the field of AI, I’m actually quite neutral about it. There is a lot of work to be done to create awareness in terms of how to adopt AI and spearhead innovation meaningfully,” Marieke says. In practice, she sees many small and medium enterprises (SME’s) struggle with aspects like adopting more human-centered development processes, issues hindering domain experts to adopt solutions, and navigating potential legal, ethical and societal impact, risks and constraints of AI practices. “It’s a massive challenge for smaller organisations to champion their corporate values and consider how to ingrain them in the type of AI systems that they use. Automated decision-making and supported decision-making should align with values like inclusivity and sustainability to create a value-driven approach.”

Examples of AI risks in practice

One of the ongoing considerations about ethical AI, is the fact that it amplifies what already exists. It magnifies underlying patterns, behaviours, and biases, and projects them on a much larger scale – and automation means less and less human interaction is involved. Marieke illustrates this with the example of a newsroom. “Where there used to be an editorial team pitching, debating and curating the news content, algorithms can now be coded to identify content with the potential for virality and optimise it mathematically. Less and less people are involved, and it causes new standards to constantly be set.” Another example is that of autonomous vehicles. Marieke continues: “One machine might learn that if it must crash, hitting a motorcyclist wearing a helmet is statistically “safer” than hitting someone without one. “Now imagine that logic scaling. Suddenly, a motorcyclist who wears a helmet becomes the preferred crash target. A decision that began as data-driven ends up having systemic consequences. “It’s not just one car,” Marieke says. “It’s all the cars.” These two examples are perhaps oversimplified, but serve as a powerful reminder of why she cautions that automation should be approached collaboratively. She encourages women to make their voices heard within the industry and encourages the AI-orchestra to include them in the datasets. “Because ultimately, AI should not be setting the tempo. We should.”

Marieke is a lecturer in the upcoming RightBrains Digital Leadership Programme. We kick off in October -- don't miss the deadline at the end of August!