Decoding AI ethics: Bias, regulation, and the environment

Irina Raicu explains why ethical AI training is important, the environmental footprint of new machine systems, and corporate responsibility.

If we allow artificial intelligence systems to inherit human bias, the consequences could be significant and severe, says Irina Raicu, the director of the Internet Ethics Program at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University.

Often overshadowed are issues such as the environmental footprint of AI model development and the rights of those individuals whose data serves as a training ground for these models. Exploring the ethical dilemmas associated with training data, which extend far beyond mere copyright and fair use, is important. The responsibility of educating the public, regulatory authorities, and all involved parties does not rest solely with the academic world; rather, corporations at the forefront of AI innovation, who are releasing these tools into society, must play a pivotal role in this educational process.