Intro To IT
Intro To IT
Intro To IT
TECHNOLOGY
IN CONJUCTION WITH
BICTE - ODL
PROGRAMME: BICTE
COURSE: INTRODUCTION TO IT
YEAR: 2024
Introduction
Emerging technologies have transformed industries to be more effective and collaborative, and
increased dependencies on such platforms. The downside is that, if these technologies are
exploited/hacked, they can cause extensive harm to both organizations and people whose data
has been compromised, and this is where the ethical concerns (i.e., social contract) fits in. A
social contract breach means that an organization’s product or service directly affects the public
interest (privacy, safety, and security) [1].
AI Ethics refers to the study of the moral principles, regulations, standards, and laws that apply
to AI, following the fundamental principles related to: transparency, respect for human values,
fairness, safety, accountability, and privacy [ [3], [4]].
Transparency means that AI-based algorithms and techniques must be transparently designed,
with a thorough description as well as a valid justification for being developed. An example of
ethical dilemmas involving transparency is the Amazon's recruitment tool, which was designed
to assess resumes, was found to exhibit gender bias. The algorithm, trained on historical hiring
data, reflected the biases inherent in that data [5]. This case highlights the ethical challenges
associated with using AI in contexts where historical data may perpetuate or amplify existing
inequalities. The lack of transparency in cases like the Amazon hiring tool underscores the
importance of understanding how algorithms operate. Future AI deployments must prioritize
transparency to ensure accountability and build trust among users
There are various dilemmas when it comes to the applicability of AI. One of the prominent
ethical dilemmas in AI involves the use of facial recognition technology. Public concerns about
AI are multifaceted, encompassing issues related to privacy, bias, accountability, and the
potential for job displacement. High-profile incidents involving AI systems, such as data
breaches or biased algorithms, contribute to a sense of apprehension [ [6], [7]]. Protecting user
privacy while using AI techniques must be kept as the highest priority. The user’s permission
must be obtained to utilize and preserve their information. The strictest security measures must
be followed to prevent the disclosure of sensitive data. Lessons must be learnt from Google’s
project Nightingale and Ascension [8] lawsuits which were an outcome of gathering personal
data and raised privacy concerns in terms of data sharing and the use of AI.
Regarding Data Mining, three key ethical concerns are bias, fairness, and accountability. Bias in
data mining occurs when the data used to train models or the algorithms themselves exhibit
systematic prejudices. This bias can be based on race, gender, age, or other protected attributes
and can result in unjust discrimination and perpetuate existing inequalities. For instance,
predictive policing models that use biased historical crime data may lead to over-policing in
certain communities, exacerbating societal disparities [9]. Fairness considerations are essential
for applications like lending, hiring, and automated decision-making systems. Ensure that the
training data accurately represents all groups and demographics.
[2] P. Formosa, "A principlist-based study of the ethical design and acceptability of artificial social
agents.," Int. J. Hum. Comput. Stud., 2023.
[3] K. Siau and W. Wang, Artificial intelligence (AI) Ethics: Ethics of AI and ethical AI., J. Database
Management , 2020.
[4] GDPR., "Complete Guide to GDPR Compliance.," Available online: https://gdpr.eu (accessed on 129
June 2024, 2022.
[6] D. Lee and S. N. Yoon, "Application of artificial intelligence-based technologies in the healthcare
industry: Opportunities and challenges.," International Journal of Environmental Research and
Public Health, vol. 18, no. 1, 2021.
[7] S. L. Wamba-Taguimdje, S. Fosso Wamba, J. R. Kala Kamdjoug and C. E. Tchatchouang Wanko, "
Influence of artificial intelligence (AI) on firm performance: the business value of AI-based
transformation projects.," Business Process Management Journal, , 2020.
[8] WSJ., "Google’s ‘Project Nightingale’ Gathers Personal Health Data on Millions of Americans.,"
Available online: https://www.wsj. com/articles/google-s-secret-project-nightingale-gathers-
personal-health-data-on-millions-of-americans-11573496790(accessed on 29 June 2024, 2022.
[9] S. T. Roweis and L. K. Saul., " "Nonlinear dimensionality reduction by locally linear embedding.","
2000.
[10] S. McLennan, A. Fiske, D. Tigard, R. Müller, S. Haddadin and A. Buyx, "Embedded ethics: a proposal
for integrating ethics into the development of medical AI.," BMC Medical Ethics, vol. 23, no. 1, 2022.
[11] C. Burr and D. Leslie, "Ethical assurance: a practical approach to the responsible design,
development, and deployment of data-driven technologies.," AI and Ethics, vol. 3, no. 1, pp. 73-98.,
2023.
[12] I. Benke, J. Feine, J. Venable and A. Maedche, "On implementing ethical principles in design science
research.," AIS Transactions on Human-Computer Interaction, vol. 12, no. 4, pp. 206-227., 2020.