All these non-binding 'AI ethics' promises are making the technology more dangerous because nobody takes the warnings seriously anymore.
SSRN · March 17, 2026 · 6404798
The Takeaway
While we assume more discussion about AI safety is good, this paper argues that 'normative inflation'—too many empty promises without enforcement—actually erodes the credibility of all governance. This creates a false sense of security while the lack of real consequences makes the rules easy to ignore.
From the abstract
The international governance of artificial intelligence (AI) is often said to suffer from a regulatory gap. In this article, I argue that the opposite problem is equally significant. The governance field is characterised by institutional proliferation and normative inflation: an excess of principles, declarations, and advisory bodies that lack binding authority or hierarchical coordination. This 'crying wolf' dynamic results from repeated, high-urgency normative signalling that, without enforcem