Ethics in artificial intelligence refers to the set of principles and practices that guide the development and responsible use of AI technologies.
It addresses issues such as transparency, privacy, fairness and minimizing bias to protect human rights and promote positive impacts on society.
It also relates to moral, legal and technical limits that should guide the different ways of using this technology.
There is no debate that AI is one of the greatest advances in recent human history, and it is here to stay.
What the scientific community proposes is that, before taking the next step , we first consider the implications of artificial intelligence.
Ethical challenges of artificial intelligence
As stated in the letter published on the Future of Life Institute website , it is necessary to create institutions capable of confronting the “dramatic economic and political disruptions (especially for democracy) that AI will cause”.
In fact, democratic regimes are already having to deal with these disturbances, as shown by episodes of manipulation in elections in the United States and in other parts of the world.
As with all advancements, not everyone who enjoys the benefits of technology has good intentions .
Let’s see, then, what challenges arise in this scenario and why ethics in artificial intelligence should be a priority for companies that develop it and also for governments.
Transparency
World leaders are rightly concerned about accountability for the misuse of AI.
While most popular generative AIs are quite diligent about not spreading sensitive or illicit content, nothing is guaranteed.
No one can say that, in the near future, technologies with illicit intentions cannot be created.
Just as there is the dark web, where all types of criminal content and practices are disseminated and encouraged, it is a real possibility that one day a “ dark AI ” will exist .
Therefore, the more transparency there is in the development processes of this technology by companies, the greater the capacity for control over this issue.
Algorithmic bias
There are those who think that AI may rebel one day , just like the Skynet network did in the film “The Terminator” (1984).
Exaggerations aside, so far, we have no reason to believe that this could happen, especially since AI itself has already said that robots will never dominate the world .
On the other hand, there is the so-called algorithmic bias (or algorithmic discrimination) which would be a kind of “prejudice” towards humans on the part of AIs.
This is a more common problem with facial detection engines , some of which do not have a robust enough database to identify certain types of faces.
Data Privacy
Ethics in artificial intelligence, especially in generative AI, seems to have a much greater focus on the issue of privacy today.
One of the ethical challenges of artificial intelligence that already arises is the access that certain AIs have to personal data and whether this data can be disclosed without consent .
Again, so far, there is nothing to suggest that artificial intelligence platforms are disrespecting the limits of other people’s privacy.
Still, it is necessary to think of a way to prevent the disclosure of personal information, before the practice begins and gets out of control.
Another issue to be addressed is the possibility that, over time, malicious people will use the power of AI to carry out some type of surveillance.
Responsibility
Talking about ethics in artificial intelligence is talking about responsibilities.
If a crime or illegal act were to be committed with the help of an AI, who would be held responsible, other than the person who perpetrated the act?
Just as Google and social media can be held responsible for spreading hate speech, AI can become a means of obtaining information for nefarious purposes.
Discrimination
Algorithmic bias is a real concern, although at the moment it seems like an issue that is not so problematic.
What needs to be discussed and controlled now, in order for ethics to prevail in artificial intelligence, is how to prevent the development of AIs that allow or encourage any type of discrimination.
As we have seen, facial recognition AI technologies are still flawed in this regard, and the same could happen with other applications.
Privacy and surveillance
Generative AIs are created and trained by inputting colossal volumes of data.
All this information, as expected, raises suspicions about how ethics in artificial intelligence can be respected when we have technology that is constantly updated and capable of making decisions.
As a result, there is a clear potential for AIs to violate the right to privacy, even if there is no intent.
Autonomy and decision-making
AI is already being used to assist in legal proceedings , with many advantages for professionals and judicial bodies.
It is also possible to see AI used in the healthcare sector , helping professionals to carry out treatments and diagnoses.
It is true that there are considerable gains in terms of efficiency and data processing capacity .
On the other hand, without a legal framework that guarantees ethics in artificial intelligence, who would be held responsible if the machine makes the wrong decision?
Transparency and explainability
One difficulty that has been raised with great relevance is how to define responsibilities for AI when the models are difficult for even experts to understand.
Ethics in artificial intelligence becomes more difficult to define in this case, since it is impossible to know how and why an AI makes certain decisions .
In other words, the lack of transparency can make it difficult to understand how an AI’s decision-making process works.
Jobs and workforce replacement
Among the many ethical challenges of artificial intelligence, that of replacing the workforce is perhaps the most controversial.
It is a fact that professions such as designer, writer, secretary and even teacher are being negatively impacted, with the loss of jobs .
Even though AI is also generating opportunities, this is still a market that does not seem to have expanded enough to absorb the idle workforce that has been forming.
Security and control
The implications of artificial intelligence are unimaginable if one day an AI for illicit purposes is developed.
If this happens, the risks to public safety will be incalculable, since AI could, among other things, be used to produce weapons or to train criminals.
Therefore, ethics in artificial intelligence must be an urgent priority , otherwise, unprecedented threats could be created, especially for the most vulnerable sections of the population.
Manipulation and disinformation
As we have seen, one of the challenges that is already having to be overcome is the spread of deepfakes in elections.
The dissemination of false content, such as videos, audios and images, can seriously corrupt electoral processes, putting democracy itself at risk.
Authorities need to discuss ways to respect ethics in artificial intelligence so that the technology is not used to manipulate public opinion .
The same goes for the misuse of AI to spread false information disguised as facts.
Environmental impact
Another issue that needs to be addressed urgently in relation to AI is the energy consumption required to train certain technologies.
Google, for example, alone consumes the same amount of electrical energy as a city of 200,000 inhabitants .
Such consumption led the company to develop two wind farms just to supply its servers.
What can we say, then, about the servers used to keep the AIs up to date , which in theory should be much more robust than Google’s own?
Therefore, environmental impact is an issue that needs to be addressed now, in order to regulate ethics in artificial intelligence from this aspect as well.
Importance of ethical practices in AI
The implications of artificial intelligence, from what we have seen, extend not only to the legal and ethical field, but also to human relationships themselves .
Ethical practices in AI are essential to protect citizens’ rights, ensure safety, and minimize biases that could harm individuals or groups.
They promote public trust in technologies by ensuring transparency, fairness and accountability in the development and use of AI.
Ethics in AI helps prevent negative impacts and maximize social, economic and environmental benefits by ensuring that technology is used responsibly and contributes to collective well-being.
It is necessary to develop a body of knowledge and stimulate debate on ethics in artificial intelligence to extract the best from the technology and prevent its misuse.
The sooner we start discussing and delving deeper into these issues, the sooner we will find answers to the dilemmas that begin to emerge.