Sunday Times 2
Artificial intelligence, ethics, and governance: Legal perspectives for modern management professionals
View(s):The following is the text of the keynote speech delivered by Justice Shiranee Tilakawardane at the 51st Convocation of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura on October 16.
Vice Chancellor, Deans, Heads of Departments, respected members of the academic body, distinguished guests, proud and gratified parents, and most importantly, the graduating class of today (2025). I consider it a signal honour, pleasure, and privilege to join you to commemorate this august and distinguished occasion.
To begin, let me extend my heartfelt congratulations to all of you dear graduates on attaining this significant milestone. Today marks not merely the culmination of your academic endeavours, but the commencement of your own individual journey as masters of knowledge, ethics, and leadership in society.
Justice Shiranee Tilakawardane delivering her speech at the SJU convocation
All of us are living in a critical and decisive moment in human history—the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is redefining the way organisations, governments, and societies function.
It ushers in a revolution that is changing the world as we know it and, more importantly, our role in it. Remember that this change is not incremental but exponential. The rise in the use of AI will disrupt the way we think of employment and restructure many industries and job markets. This change—swift, complex, and often unsettling—has created disturbing uncertainty. There is fear that machines will replace jobs, that algorithms will dictate fairness, and that human judgment will be overshadowed by automation.
Yet I urge you, dear graduates, do not let this change give way to fear and trepidation. Let it instead be a call to curiosity, to adaptability, to courage and to choices made through critical thinking and fundamental logic.
For history teaches us that every technological disruption, from the printing press to the internet, has also been a catalyst for reinvention. It is not technology that defines the future, but how humanity (we) choose to use it.
For the modern management professional, AI is indeed a present reality shaping decision-making, productivity, and innovation across nearly every sector.
AI provides powerful tools that can accelerate growth and transform management practices. Yet, alongside these opportunities, AI brings with it profound ethical, legal, and governance challenges that must be confronted with foresight and responsibility. In no other field is the ethical compass more relevant than in AI.
In this context, today’s convocation theme, “Artificial Intelligence, Ethics, and Governance: Legal Perspectives for the Modern Management Professional” is particularly significant and could not be timelier.
At the heart of this theme lies a critical and significant question: How can we leverage AI responsibly while safeguarding fairness, sustainability, and humanity? Addressing this challenge in management requires engaging with three intertwined elements – ethics, law, and governance.
Management professionals must increasingly operate in environments where technology outpaces regulation and where the consequences of decisions involving AI can impact not only organisations but also individuals and societies at large. Issues such as algorithmic bias, data privacy, surveillance, intellectual property rights, and accountability for AI-driven decisions demand both legal literacy and ethical awareness.
You, my dear graduates, stand at the intersection of knowledge and application. You are entering industries that are being rewritten by data and algorithms. As Lorelei Shaw proposed, “…this is the inhuman soul of the algorithm—it may think for us, work for us, it may organise our lives for us, but the algorithm will never bleed for us. The algorithm will never suffer for us. The algorithm will never mourn for us. In this refusal lies the essence of its moral being.”
Therefore remember: AI may automate processes, but it cannot replicate and capture sincerity of purpose.
So, the management professional of tomorrow must combine analytical skill with ethical wisdom with human empathy. You must be as fluent in data analytics as you are in moral reasoning—and as confident in using technology as you are in questioning its deep consequences and outcomes.
Your true value will not lie in competing with machines, but in understanding what it means to remain human in an age of machines, to bring creativity, fairness, and emotional intelligence into spaces increasingly shaped by code.
As Lorelei Shaw warned us, “…artificial intelligence also confronts us with the problem of distributed culpability. Human morality, historically, centres around agency and intentionality. We blame the drunk driver, not the car; we credit the artist, not the brush. AI’s systems muddy these waters. AIs are not mere tools; their learning algorithms endow them with agency. They make decisions based on data, albeit without consciousness or intent. A strict division between human and machine culpability is quickly becoming untenable, creating a landscape where ethical norms strain under unfamiliar weights.”
In this context, both legal and ethical frameworks must evolve to address this novel, intricate web of agency and accountability. Failure to adapt our frameworks risks ethical disarray, misassigned blame, and ultimately a moral kind of haziness that is already having a corrosive effect on our society.
We know that ethically we must always take responsibility for our own mistakes; integrity forms the foundation of a civilised society. Yet in this new age of intelligent machines, we must also take responsibility for theirs.
From a legal perspective, the frameworks governing AI remain fragmented and evolving. Internationally, debates are underway on liability for autonomous systems, intellectual property in AI-generated content, and cross-border data governance. For management professionals, an understanding of these legal contours is vital, not only to ensure compliance but also to proactively shape corporate policies that reflect global best practices. This requires bridging the gap between technological innovation and legal safeguards, ensuring that organisational strategies are future-ready and resilient.
Equally important is the ethical dimension that AI has exposed: long-standing social inequities. Algorithms trained on biased data risk perpetuating discrimination, particularly with respect to gender bias and other forms of inequality. For instance, recruitment tools that rely on historical data may unintentionally favour men over women, reinforcing structural barriers rather than dismantling them. For graduates entering leadership roles, ethical awareness means questioning with critical inquiry.
Yet let me remind you of something simple yet profound: AI will never replace authenticity.
Your ability to think sharply and critically, to act ethically, and to empathise genuinely – these are your competitive advantages. The future will not belong to those who know everything, but to those who can learn, unlearn, and relearn quickly; who can adapt with grace, lead with humility, and act with integrity.
In your professional journeys, you will encounter pioneers and trailblazers, individuals who possess deep expertise and cutting-edge knowledge. Learn from them with deep humility. Let their insight and innovation inspire you to grow. And remember, the skills you cultivate should not merely serve where you stand today, but where you aspire to go tomorrow.
So, when you walk out of this hall today, walk not with fear of the unknown, but with confidence in your capacity to shape our collective future. Be curious. Be courageous. And above all, be kind to yourselves, to others, and to the world you will architect and build.
As you stand on the threshold of this new chapter, remember, your degrees are not just symbols of academic achievement. They are licences to lead.
In this age of Artificial Intelligence, let us reaffirm our commitment to human intelligence, guided by ethics, grounded in governance, and inspired by compassion.
Congratulations once again. The world awaits your leadership. May you go forth to serve not just with success, but with significance and courage.
May God bless you all!
(Assisted in research by Thiranya Abeyaratne)