Casa · C1 Advanced · Lesson 8 of 20 · Step 1

Artificial Intelligence Ethics

Complex Relative Clauses and Reduced Relatives

Produce complex relative clauses with prepositions and quantifiers
Use reduced relative clauses (participle clauses) to create concise, formal prose
Discuss ethical issues surrounding AI using sophisticated sentence structures

Words · tap a card to see it used

Grammar

Complex relative clauses and reduced relatives

Complex relative clauses use preposition + which/whom ('the framework within which AI operates'), quantifiers ('many of whom/which'), or sentential relatives ('which suggests…'). Reduced relatives replace the relative pronoun and auxiliary with a participle: 'The data, collected over five years, suggests…' (= which was collected). Present participle: 'Companies developing AI face scrutiny' (= which develop). Past participle: 'The regulations, introduced in 2024, address bias' (= which were introduced). These structures are essential for academic density and precision.

The data, collected over five years from multiple institutions, suggests a clear trend.

Researchers, many of whom specialise in machine learning, raised concerns about the methodology.

The framework within which autonomous systems operate lacks adequate safeguards.

Companies developing AI applications must ensure transparency, a requirement often overlooked in practice.

Exercises · type, then check

1. Combine or reduce the relative clause in each sentence to create a more concise, formal version.

1.The report, which was published last month, highlights key risks. → The report, last month, highlights key risks.

2.There are several ethical frameworks. AI policy operates within these frameworks. → There are several ethical frameworks within AI policy operates.

3.The engineers, most of had no ethics training, were unaware of the implications.

4.The algorithm, which processes millions of data points daily, has been found to exhibit bias. → The algorithm, millions of data points daily, has been found to exhibit bias.

5.The guidelines, which were introduced in response to public pressure, require annual auditing. → The guidelines, in response to public pressure, require annual auditing.

2. Choose the correct relative or reduced relative construction.

1. The committee, ___ had reviewed the evidence, recommended immediate action.

2. The users, many of ___ were unaware of the data collection, filed complaints.

3. The regulations, ___ in 2023, are already considered outdated.

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Reading

The Black Box Problem

Artificial intelligence systems, deployed across sectors ranging from healthcare to criminal justice, are making decisions that profoundly affect human lives. The algorithms driving these systems, many of which were trained on historical data reflecting existing societal biases, can perpetuate and even amplify discrimination. A hiring tool developed by a major technology company, designed to screen job applications automatically, was found to penalise candidates from certain demographic groups — a bias inherited from the data on which it had been trained. The opacity of such systems, often described as 'black boxes', poses a fundamental challenge to accountability. Decisions made by algorithms, affecting millions of people daily, frequently cannot be explained even by the engineers who created them. Regulatory frameworks introduced in recent years have attempted to address these concerns, requiring companies developing AI applications to conduct impact assessments and provide explanations for automated decisions. Nevertheless, the pace of technological proliferation continues to outstrip the capacity of regulators, many of whom lack the technical expertise to evaluate the systems under their purview. The question facing society is not whether AI should be regulated, but whether meaningful regulation is achievable given the speed and complexity of the technology involved.

1. What example does the passage give of algorithmic bias, and what caused it?

2. Why does the passage suggest meaningful regulation may be difficult to achieve?

Speaking · say it out loud, with a partner or alone

1Describe an AI application you use regularly, explaining how it works and what ethical concerns it raises. Use at least three reduced relative clauses in your description.

2Debate: 'AI systems, designed to be efficient rather than fair, should not be used in criminal justice.' Use complex and reduced relative clauses to structure your arguments.

Writing

Write a formal paragraph (6–8 sentences) about an ethical issue related to AI. Use at least three reduced relative clauses and one complex relative clause with a preposition or quantifier.

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