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Tech Companies Pledge To Use Artificial Intelligence Responsibly (axios.com)

Posted by msmash on from the for-the-greater-good dept.

An anonymous reader shares a report: The Information Technology Industry Council -- a DC-based group representing the likes of IBM, Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Facebook and Apple -- is today releasing principles for developing ethical artificial intelligence systems. Why it matters: The tech industry is trying to get ahead of growing anxieties about the societal impact of AI technologies, and this is an acknowledgement on companies' part that their data-hungry products are causing sweeping changes in the way we work and live. The companies hope that pledging to handle this power responsibly will win points with critics in Washington, and that showing they can police themselves will help stave off government regulation on this front. The principles include: Ensure the responsible design and deployment of AI systems, including taking "steps to avoid the reasonably predictable misuse of this technology by committing to ethics by design." Promote the responsible use of data and test for potentially harmful bias in the deployment of AI systems. Commit to mitigating bias, inequity and other potential harms in automated decision-making systems. Commit to finding a "reasonable accountability framework" to address concerns about liability issues created when autonomous decision-making replaces decisions made by humans.

9 of 85 comments (clear)

  1. Heard this before by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    We don't believe you.

  2. responsible for themselves and to themselves by turkeydance · · Score: 3, Insightful

    right

  3. Weapons of Math Destruction by saccade.com · · Score: 3, Insightful

    A good read for the harm "AI" and Big Data are already causing is Cathy O'Neil's Weapons of Math Destruction.

  4. Cool by tezbobobo · · Score: 5, Insightful

    O! Well! That's that problem sorted then. They promised. Cool. No need to worry about this anymore. No chance it will be abused then, like my personal information is, like their advertising networks are, like my right via EULAs are, etc...

    1. Re: Cool by sound+vision · · Score: 3, Insightful

      I'm more worried about what the police, banks, credit agencies, and HR departments will do when they get a hold of this.

  5. Sounds reasonable, but by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    > including taking "steps to avoid the reasonably predictable misuse of this technology by committing to ethics by design as long as it does not get in the way of profit."

    FTFY

  6. Don't be evil? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Yeah, I've heard that before.

  7. Say no to .mil cash? by AHuxley · · Score: 3, Insightful

    The same principles that covered PRISM https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/... ?
    When the next funding call for self healing, self configuring, self directed drones goes out?
    Just say no thanks to that UAV, UAS, UGS, UMS, USV, UUV request?
    Lethal autonomous weapon and "Directive 3000.09, Autonomy in weapon systems"
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...
    "Military drones set to get stronger chemical weapons and could soon make their OWN decisions during missions (3 January 2014)"
    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sci...
    The "Unmanned Systems Integrated Roadmap"

    --
    Domestic spying is now "Benign Information Gathering"
  8. Responsible to... by countach · · Score: 3, Insightful

    ... their shareholders, whom they are duty bound to maximise profits for.