When considering artificial intelligence, we also need to consider ethics.

Artificial intelligence (also known as AI) is the use of machines to perform tasks that were previously solely performed by human beings. For example, data analysis, problem solving, detecting problems etc. 

AI is being used in many different areas of society today, such as –

• Climate change
• Weather prediction
• Agriculture
• Horticulture
• Marketing
• Education
• Medicine
• Neuropsychology

Etc.

The involvement of AI in many different areas and the changes that have arisen have led to concerns regarding the ethics of the use of AI.  For example, whether AI could threaten human rights.

UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) considers the ethics involved in the use of AI to determine that countries and organisations are using AI responsibly and ethically. 

They suggest four core values to protect gender, education, environment and ecosystems, data governance, research, health and wellbeing and other areas of human existence.

The four core values are –

• Respecting, protecting and promoting human rights, freedoms and dignity.
• Living in just, peaceful and interconnected societies.
• A flourishing environment and ecosystem.
• Ensuring inclusiveness and diversity.

They also suggest a human rights approach to AI that considers of ten core principles –

• AI systems should do no harm and risk assessments should be conducted to prevent harm by the use of AI.
• Safety and security risks should be avoided and addressed.
• Privacy should be protected throughout the AI lifetime.
• Internation and national laws should be respected.People involved with AI – Stakeholders – should be involved and participate to ensure inclusive approaches to the governance of AI.
• AI systems should be traceable and auditable.Mechanisms should be in place to avoid conflicts with human rights and threats to the wellbeing of the environment.
• AI systems should be transparent and explainable.
• AI should not displace human responsibility and accountability.
• Technologies should be sustainable.
• An understanding of AI should be promoted through accessible and open education, AI ethics training, media and information literacy and digital skills.
• Finally, AI actors should be non-discriminatory and promote fairness and social justice.

Examples of Ethical Issues

Bias and Discrimination

AI has been shown to be biased and discriminatory in some ways. A typical example. If a person uses AI to search for a schoolboy, they will usually get a picture of, just that, a schoolboy. If they do a search for a schoolgirl, often sexualised images come up of young women wearing revealing sexual uniforms.  AI uses humans to learn, so if enough people search for images of young women wearing sexually revealing school uniforms when they do a search for schoolgirls, then AI will start to anticipate that this is what the viewer wants and show those images.

Facial recognition software powered by AI has also been shown to make more errors in certain racial groups.

Manipulation

AI has been used to manipulate viewers and create deep fakes. A deep fake is where an image or video of a person has been digitally manipulated. This image can then be used to spread malicious content. For example, showing the person saying something they have not said. Or using the image to manipulate people. For example, a young person might be manipulated in to thinking they are talking to another young person online, when in fact, it is an older person or someone wishing them harm.

Intellectual Property

AI has also been used to create new songs and literature and art. For example, if 100 crime thrillers were input into AI, it could then use this information to create a new crime thriller, based on ideas in these books. Authors, songwriters, musicians, artists and other creatives are concerned that AI is taking away their ideas and rights to their own work without their permission.

If you would like to learn more about artificial intelligence, have a look at our eBook here.