At XXII, the ethics committee is not an option. It’s a commitment.

AI, computer vision, real-time data… These are powerful tools. Too powerful to be left solely to the logic of performance. At XXII, we develop technologies that see, analyze, and influence the real world. So a simple question arises: under what conditions is this acceptable?

It is to answer this question, and to continuously give ourselves the means to do so, that we have established an independent ethics committee, from the early stages of our growth. Not to check a box. But to embed ethics at the heart of our product, technical, and strategic decisions.

Why an ethics committee?

Because “common sense” is not a policy. Because moral dilemmas arise where you least expect them, in a functionality choice, a client use case, a technical architecture.
And because in the matter of sensitive technologies, anticipation is worth a thousand times more than reaction.

An ethics committee is not there to slow things down. It is there to ask the right questions before it’s too late:

• Is this functionality aligned with our values?
  
  
  

• Who could be negatively impacted by this use?
  
  
  

• Are we adding control or understanding?
  
  
  

• What safeguards are we putting in place technically?
  
  
  

• How do we ensure transparency and respect for fundamental rights?
  
  
  

At XXII, an active and integrated committee

Our ethics committee is composed of internal and external experts. Their role is not limited to an annual review: they accompany the product throughout its evolution.

They challenge our hypotheses. They alert us to blind spots. They reinforce our demands. And above all, they help us build a useful, responsible AI that meets societal expectations, not just market demands.

A strategic choice, not a symbolic one

Having an ethics committee is not a communication gesture. It’s a sustainability strategy. Because a startup that ignores these subjects today will be forced to face them tomorrow: social protest, blocking regulations, loss of client trust, internal departures.

In contrast, equipping oneself early with an ethics committee means:

• Better managing reputational risks.
  
  
  

• Reinforcing product coherence.
  
  
  

• Creating long-term value.
  
  
  

• Attracting talent that shares a vision.
  
  
  

• Preparing the company for future regulatory demands (like the AI Act).
  
  

A conviction: all startups should have one

Not because it’s trendy. But because we have entered a new technological era: one where tech products are no longer neutral.
Every line of code carries choices. Every functionality shapes behavior. Every API can have systemic effects.

In this context, failing to structure ethics is to ignore it.

So yes: all startups that deal with AI, data, or society should have an independent, active, and listened-to ethics committee. Not tomorrow. Now.

Ethics is not a constraint.

It’s what prevents us from doing anything for the wrong reasons.
And it’s what allows us at XXII to go far, without ever forgetting why we move forward.