Navigating The Ethical Landscape Of AI: Challenges And Considerations

By Tarun Dua

During the B20 Summit India recently held on 27 August 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasized the importance of using artificial intelligence (AI) in an ethical manner. From a futuristic concept discussed at forums and Hollywood films, AI has now become a practical reality available to anyone on any device. From voice assistants like Siri and Alexa to generative AI tools like ChatGPT and Midjourney, AI has become deeply integrated into our everyday lives. As we delve deeper into the possibilities that AI offers, it is essential to examine its ethical implications and prioritize responsible development and deployment.

Let us take an example of generative AI that a lot of us use. You must have heard of Midjourney, an AI tool that creates images from ‘text’ prompts. The company’s user agreement states: ‘Midjourney images can be used commercially by paying members, allowing use in marketing and cover art. However, the license does not grant copyright ownership of the images.’

This is one of the important questions of ethics at the centre of AI-generated content. Whom does the content belong to?

Ethical Considerations Around AI

Authenticity: As algorithms craft text or images, users may face challenges in differentiating between human-created and AI-generated content.

Copyright: Ownership of AI-generated content is a perplexing question. Because while the AI system produces the content, text, image or video, the input data is often a culmination of existing works.

Bias and misinformation: AI-generated content could perpetuate or amplify biases present in the data they are being trained on.

How Do We Tackle These Issues

First, it’s essential to ensure that the data used to train AI algorithms is representative and diverse, avoiding perpetuating existing biases. Second, protecting user privacy and securing sensitive data should be at the forefront of AI development. Third, to ensure accountability and trust, we must create AI models that are explainable. Users should be able to understand how and why AI arrived at a particular outcome. Fourth, while AI can automate tasks and improve efficiency, certain decisions should remain under human supervision to avoid unintended consequences. Fifth, inclusivity in AI design can ensure that AI is accessible to everyone, regardless of socioeconomic background.

In the context at hand, one is reminded of Brad Smith’s book, ‘Tools and Weapons’. This book serves as a reminder that technology is a double-edged sword, and its impact depends on how we choose to use it.

(The author is the CEO of E2E Networks Ltd, an accelerated Cloud computing platform.)

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