Think about it. Suddenly, you have this almost sentient being who’s threatening to replace the actual flesh and blood creatures who made it.
The invention of AI has been compared to the industrial revolution, and you can probably guess why.
ChatGPT is already threatening to replace or improve, depending on who you ask, many jobs in many industries.
To that end, ethical considerations about the use of AI have turned into a hot debate. What should AI be allowed to do? Should we give it reign to its full potential and release something akin to Skynet upon the world? Should we restrict its capabilities and leave it to automate away select tasks and menial jobs?
The debate never ends. Our aim is to discuss some of these ethical considerations and understand how AI can be both a force for good and evil.
4 Ethical considerations:
1. AI Bias:
Search engine results that favor men over women are a good example of gender bias in artificial intelligence problems. A search for the "greatest leaders of all time," for example, is likely to provide a list of renowned males, with few, if any, women included.
Similar to this, searches for "schoolboy" typically produce more ordinary, non-explicit images, whereas searches for "schoolgirl" frequently provide explicit images of women.
These biases are thought to stem from entrenched societal stereotypes that are reflected in the algorithms used by search engines and other AI systems.
The use of AI systems may result in biased outcomes. Search-engine technology is not impartial, as it processes massive data sets and gives priority to results that are frequently clicked on based on user preferences and location.
This can lead to the creation of an echo chamber that reinforces real-world biases, further perpetuating prejudices and stereotypes online.
To ensure more balanced and accurate outcomes, it is essential to address the issue of biased search results. How can we report such instances? What would be the appropriate representation of women in search results?
In the creation of algorithms, the enormous data sets used for machine learning, and the decision-making processes involving AI, gender bias must be avoided or at least minimized.
In its Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence, UNESCO established standards for ethical AI in response to the need to get rid of stereotypical representations of women in the digital world.
It is the first global standard-setting instrument on this subject, aiming to tackle the problem of gender bias in AI.
2. AI and Legal Matters:
The utilization of artificial intelligence in legal systems worldwide is on the rise, giving rise to a multitude of ethical considerations.
AI has the potential to evaluate cases and administer justice in a more efficient, faster, and potentially superior manner compared to judges.
The implementation of AI methodologies can have significant impacts in various areas, ranging from legal professionals and judiciary systems to assisting the decision-making processes of public administrative and legislative bodies.
For instance, AI tools can enhance the efficiency and precision of lawyers in providing legal counsel and litigation, thereby benefiting lawyers, clients, and society as a whole.
AI tools can supplement the current software systems used by judges, aiding them in creating new decisions. This increase in the use of autonomous systems has been termed the "automation of justice."
According to some advocates, AI could lead to the creation of a more equitable criminal justice system in which machines could assess and balance relevant factors better than humans, leveraging their speed and ability to ingest large volumes of data.
AI can thereby make decisions based on informed and objective considerations, devoid of any bias or subjectivity.
The use of AI in the legal system is nevertheless fraught with ethical problems, such as the lack of transparency in AI tools, the bias and inaccuracy of decisions made using AI, the collection of data through surveillance methods, issues with fairness, and the defense of human rights, among other fundamental principles.
These difficulties pose crucial concerns regarding whether people would like to have a robot judge them in a court of law, especially given the murky procedures by which such decisions are made.
The UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence, the first worldwide standard-setting document on this topic, was adopted by UNESCO in response to these worries.
3. Art and AI:
The utilization of AI in the field of culture poses significant ethical questions. In 2016, a computer-generated painting by the name of "the Next Rembrandt" was produced using a 3D printer, more than three centuries after the death of the renowned painter.
The feat was accomplished by analyzing 346 Rembrandt paintings pixel by pixel and using deep learning algorithms to create a distinctive database that could capture every aspect of the artist's style.
This enabled the algorithm to create a masterpiece that was unparalleled in its design. The texture of the brushstrokes and layers of paint were then reproduced by the 3D printer, resulting in a stunning painting that could fool even the most experienced art expert.
Was it the company responsible for the project, the engineers who worked on it, the algorithm used, or even Rembrandt himself? Similarly, in 2019, the Chinese technology firm Huawei claimed that an AI algorithm had completed the last two movements of Symphony No. 8, an unfinished composition by Franz Schubert that dates back to 1822.
The emergence of AI-generated artwork raises concerns about copyright attribution when a human author is replaced by machines and algorithms. The question arises whether an algorithm can and should be recognized as an author and enjoy the same rights as a human artist.
A redefinition of the term "author," due to AI’s use in creating art, is necessary to acknowledge the creative contribution of both the original author and the algorithms and technologies involved in producing the work.
Creativity is a crucial element in diverse and inclusive societies, where new and innovative content is produced through imagination and invention.
Therefore, the impact of AI on human creativity requires thorough consideration. Although AI is a powerful tool for creativity, it also raises important issues about the future of art, the rights and pay of artists, and the reliability of the creative value chain.
The importance of human creativity in our interactions with AI makes it imperative to create new frameworks that can discern between originality and creativity and theft or copying.
These frameworks are essential for maintaining the integrity of the cultural value chain, preventing the exploitation of human creativity and labor, ensuring fair artist recompense and recognition, and enabling the cultural industry to create good employment.
To address these issues, UNESCO has issued the UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence, which serves as the first global standard-setting tool on the topic.
4. Autonomous Cars and AI:
To work with little or no human input, autonomous cars employ sensors to monitor their environment and develop conclusions based on that information.
The autonomous driving computer system evaluates the vast amount of data that the car's sensors collect about the surrounding road environment.
The autonomous vehicle must also be educated to evaluate the data gathered and choose the best course of action in all conceivable traffic circumstances.
Every day, individuals make moral decisions. For instance, when a driver quickly stops their vehicle to avoid hitting a pedestrian who is crossing the street illegally, they are making a moral decision to transfer the risk from the pedestrian to the occupants of the car.
Consider an autonomous vehicle without functioning brakes hurtling towards a grandmother and a child.
A slight deviation from the current trajectory could save one of them. In this scenario, it is the algorithm of the car that must make the decision, rather than a human driver. Do you believe there is a single correct choice?
Who would you select, the grandmother or the child? This situation represents a common ethical predicament and underscores the significance of ethical considerations in the development of technology.
For this reason, UNESCO has endorsed the UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence, which represents the first universal instrument for establishing ethical standards in this field.
Final Thoughts:
Whether you’re a fan of AI or not, it’s here to stay, and it’s here to make rounds all over the world.
Improved efficiency, stronger productivity, and unparalleled innovation and creativity are all things AI definitely provides.
At the same time, AI is susceptible to bias, incongruency, unpredictability, and maybe putting humans out of jobs or eradicating them from existence.
It remains to be seen how the world will deal with the rising influence of AI in the coming decades.
Add comment