In the following passage, some words have been omitted. Read the passage carefully and choose the most appropriate option from the given alternatives to fill in each blank. Mark your answer for each question.
As artificial intelligence becomes more integrated into daily life, debates around its ethical use are growing louder. Machines now make decisions that were once the (1)_____ of human judgment-from recommending medical treatments to scanning resumes. While Al offers speed and efficiency, it lacks moral (2)_____ raising concerns about bias, accountability, and transparency. Critics argue that without strict ethical frameworks, Al could reinforce social inequalities or even make harmful choices with no clear line of (3)_____. Developers face the challenge of embedding values into code-yet whose values should apply? In multicultural societies, defining what is "right" is rarely (4)_____. Some suggest collaborative oversight involving ethicists, technologists, and policymakers. Others warn that regulation must evolve faster than innovation to prevent misuse. In the race to build smarter systems, the real question remains: can we create machines that are not just intelligent, but also (5)_____ ?
What would come in (2)
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: C
Explanation
In the context of the passage, the word instinct is the most appropriate because it represents a natural, human quality that machines lack.
The sentence highlights a contrast: while AI provides "speed and efficiency" (computational strengths), it lacks the human-like, innate moral sense or gut feeling (instinct) required to navigate complex ethical dilemmas.
Humans use intuition and a natural sense of right and wrong to make judgments, whereas AI operates strictly on data and pre-programmed algorithms.
Other options do not fit in the context:
Clarity: While AI can sometimes be a "black box," it is designed for data precision. The primary concern in this specific sentence is not about how clear the machine's output is, but about the absence of human-like moral awareness.
Depth: This term refers to intensity or complexity. While AI can handle extremely deep and complex data sets, "moral depth" is a less standard way to describe the inherent human quality being contrasted with machine efficiency in this context.
Reasoning: AI is actually capable of a form of reasoning (logical, algorithmic, or deductive) based on its training data. Therefore, saying it "lacks reasoning" would be inaccurate in a technical sense, whereas it definitely lacks human biological instinct.