The phrase AI ethics has become a buzzword in recent years, with researchers, policy makers, engineers, and users of artificial intelligence (AI) becoming increasingly concerns about how they can abide by and promote the principles encompassed by the AI ethics movement, but what does this phrase actually mean? In this this blog post, we provide an overview of AI ethics, first defining the term before discussing the approaches that bring about more ethical AI and the major themes in the field.
AI ethics is a nascent and emerging field that has resulted from the growing concerns about the psychological, social, and political impact of AI. As the name suggests, the field of AI ethics is concerned with ensuring that AI is used in an ethical way, and, since it draws on philosophical principles, computer science practices, and law, the field is inherently disciplinary. It is a subset of the wider field of digital ethics, which addresses concerns raised by the development and deployment of new digital technologies, such as AI, big data analytics, and blockchain technologies.
There are six major themes that characterise the field of AI ethics: human agency and oversight, safety, privacy, transparency, fairness, and accountability. They also fall under the umbrella of trustworthy AI.
Having identified the main aims of AI ethics, it is important to have strategies to implement these principles. We identify three major approaches to AI ethics:
• Principles – the use of guidelines that inform and direct the use and development of AI
• Processes – used to address risk and harm that can result because of design issues and lack of appropriate governance
To find out more about AI ethics, read our full-length paper here.
DISCLAIMER: This blog article is for informational purposes only. This blog article is not intended to, and does not, provide legal advice or a legal opinion. It is not a do-it-yourself guide to resolving legal issues or handling litigation. This blog article is not a substitute for experienced legal counsel and does not provide legal advice regarding any situation or employer.
Schedule a call with one of our experts