Privacy, Ethics and Regulation in Our New World of Artificial Intelligence
New applications with technology are simply amazing. From new uses of data analytics to artificial intelligence and machine learning, our world is rapidly transforming before our eyes. But what are the ethical considerations for safe use?
Here are some recent headline examples:
Excerpt:Google services such as its image search and translation tools use sophisticated machine learning which allow computers to see, listen and speak in much the same way as human do. …
Google also uses machine learning in its Nest “smart” thermostat products – by analyzing how the devices are used in households they become better at predicting when and how their owners want their homes to be heated, helping to cut down on wasted energy.
Daily Mail (UK): Devices can scan bodies to detect mood and health
Excerpt: Spy cameras could soon know what we’re thinking and feeling simply by scanning our BODIES – and there may be no way to opt-out.
Speaking at a TED Conference in Vancouver, Dolby Labs’ chief scientist Poppy Crum said:
“We like to believe we have cognitive control over what someone else knows, sees, understands about our own internal states – our emotions, insecurities, bluffs or trials and tribulations. But technologies can already distinguish a real smile from a fake one.
The dynamics of our thermal signature give away changes in how hard our brains are working, how engaged or excited we might be in the conversation we are having, and even whether we’re reacting to an image of fire as if it were real. …”
Imagine if technology powered by artificial intelligence (AI) could help visually impaired people see? Such technology actually exists in the form of a smartphone app called Seeing AI that literally serves as a talking camera that helps visually impaired people see by describing their surroundings at any given moment and can improve the quality of life for millions of people.
Meanwhile, in testimony this week before Congress, Mark Zuckerberg put many of Facebook’s failings on the lack of artificial intelligence tools. The Verge criticized this testimony by saying that AI is an excuse for Facebook to keep messing up. “Artificial intelligence is not a solution for shortsightedness and lack of transparency.”
“Moderating hate speech? AI will fix it. Terrorist content and recruitment? AI again. Fake accounts? AI. Russian misinformation? AI. Racially discriminatory ads? AI. Security? AI. …
Zuckerberg said again and again in the hearings that in five to 10 years, he was confident that they would have sophisticated AI systems that would be up to the challenge of even dealing with linguistic nuance. Give us five to 10 years, and we’ll have this all figured out. ….”
In 2016, The World Economic Forum released a report listing the top 9 ethical issues in artificial intelligence. Here is that list (with details in the article).
More recently Google has announced that they are drafting ethical principles for AI, after employees complained about plans to help the US Department of Defense (DoD) in a wide variety of ways, including AI.
