Guide to the Promotion of AI Ethics and Principles

Guide to the Promotion of AI Ethics and Principles

Introduction

Artificial Intelligence (AI) programs are the solution to multiple social problems, that include education, health care, law enforcement and cybersecurity. However, Artificial Intelligence has an equally well-publicized set of challenges. These challenges come in the form of unfair treatment, challenges in the labor market and fundamental rights, and accountability issues. AI ethics and principles are a group of rules or guidelines that counsel on the design and outcomes of AI programs.

Human beings have all types of cognitive biases. These intrinsic biases are shown in our behaviors and then in our data.

Things to know about AI

Following are the areas where AI has proved its benefits:

• Confronting the Pandemic: AI has contributed to reduce and contain the spread of the virus through its test, track and trace software. It also helps researchers with the understanding of huge amounts of data in the race against time to find a treatment or vaccine.
• AI contributes to broadening existing gender gaps: Only 22 percent of the AI professionals are women. And because they are understated in the industry, stereotyping and gender biases are being set up in AI technologies.
• AI can be a helpful tool to solve the environmental and climate change issues: As Earth continuously warms, the impacts of the climate change are only worsening. By collating and analysing data, AI tools can help to improve habitat restoration. This is essential to decrease the decline of wildlife and fish populations.
• AI cannot be a no law zone: AI is present in all our lives, and it directs our choices sometimes in ways that can be dangerous. There are quite a few legislative gaps in the industry which need to be filled quickly. The first step should be to agree on the rules that should be enforced and the values that should be preserved.

The Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence

The UNESCO’s General Conference at its 41st session adopted the Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence on 24^th November 2021.

It is highly important to recognize humanity and what is really at stake here. We need to understand why do we use AI in the first place. AI has been developed to find ways to assist people by using all the science and technology. So, if humanity is a priority, we require a full understanding of the state of the industry. We are not debating the use of AI, but identifying the line between a hypothesis drive and a data drive.

It is also crucial that we sustain our humanity by being honest and ethical about what AI can really achieve. Frequently claims are made about a drug discovery when what has been discovered is new biology. This is also great news, but it is important to be clear. There is a lot of work to get from here to the endpoint of an approved drug. A discovery is not really a discovery until there is scientific validation.

The Next Steps

1. First, we need to get on the same page with respect to terminology. This may involve the creation of a central AI dictionary of terms. This will be the first step to control overstatements.
2. The industry needs to come together under the leadership of a new association, that focusses specifically AI ethics and principles. It should include lawyers, physicians, ethicists mathematicians, bankers, scientists, and patients.
3. Inclusion and diversity are essential. AI programs must be fully inclusive of all genders and races genders around the world.
4. There must be some form of AI regulation.
5. Education should be the focus.