Whether you realise it or not, artificial intelligence (AI) is a component of much of the technology you use every day. When Netflix proposes a show you might enjoy or when you try to book reservations online, AI is deployed, and Google already knows which airport users often depart from.
And it’s becoming more popular. In fact, 91% of businesses want to invest in AI. At the same time, a recent Deloitte survey indicated that 95% of firms worldwide are concerned about the ethical concerns of AI.
AI may appear to be highly technical and intricate, almost like something out of a science fiction novel, but it is only a tool. As AI takes over increasingly complex activities, it is critical to establish ethical guidelines to ensure that this tool is used for good.
What exactly is AI ethics?
AI ethics are a set of moral guidelines that are used to guide the development and application of AI technologies. Because AI is performing tasks that would typically need human intelligence, it, too, requires moral guidelines. Without ethical AI norms and regulations, there is a great risk that this technology will be misused.
AI is used a lot in a number of various industries, such as banking, healthcare, travel, customer assistance, social media, transportation, and much more. Because AI technology is becoming more beneficial in so many areas, it touches every portion of the planet.
Now, several layers of control are required depending on the industry and how AI is deployed. A robot vacuum that uses AI to figure out how a house is set up is unlikely to make a significant difference in the world if it lacks a moral basis. Yet, if ethical rules are not implemented, a self-driving car that must be able to detect pedestrians or an algorithm that determines who is most likely to receive a loan can and will have significant societal consequences.
What are the major moral worries regarding AI?
As previously stated, the key ethical considerations differ widely depending on the sector, the situation, and the magnitude of the potential consequences. But, when it comes to AI in general, the most serious ethical concerns are AI biases, the fear that AI will replace human occupations, privacy concerns, and the use of AI to deceive or control people.
AI can be skewed.
The most common source of bias in AI is training AI models on data sets that already contain biases. A noteworthy example is Georgia Tech’s recent work on object identification in self-driving cars. Individuals with darker complexion were struck around 5% more frequently because the data set used to train the AI model contained roughly 3.5 times as many examples of lamp people, allowing it to distinguish them better.
AI and machine learning are beneficial since the data set on which they are trained may be modified, and with enough effort, they can become mostly unbiased.
AI taking over work
Almost every technical advancement in history has been blamed for employment losses, although this has not yet occurred.
Many were concerned that when ATMs were introduced in the 1970s, they would put many bank tellers out of job. In fact, the inverse was true. Because ATMs handled simple operations like depositing checks and withdrawing cash, a bank branch required fewer bankers to operate. This allowed banks to create new branches while increasing the total number of teller employment.
Many were concerned that when AI was initially developed to interpret and replicate human speech, bots might take over customer service positions. This has not occurred. Chatbots powered by AI can handle ordinary jobs and up to 80% of consumer enquiries, but the most complex questions must still be answered by a human agent.
Practically, this same AI future is one in which humans and AI-powered bots collaborate, with bots handling easy tasks and humans focused on the more complex ones.
Security and artificial intelligence
According to the United Nations, privacy is a fundamental human right, and some AI applications potentially jeopardise this right. When businesses are unclear about why and how they acquire and store data, their customers’ privacy is jeopardised.
Privacy standards are difficult to establish because most people are ready to give up some personal information in exchange for some level of personalization. In fact, 80% of consumers prefer to buy from companies that provide individualised experiences. Ironically, AI is an excellent tool for data protection. Because I can learn on its own, apps that use it can detect viruses and patterns that are frequently used to circumvent protection.
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