Ethical And General AI
Alexander Hung

Ethical And General AI

12 May 2023

Artificial intelligence is the practice of designing and applying algorithms to construct dynamic computing environments that replicate human cognitive processes. AI researchers have created various AI systems capable of performing specific tasks, such as robotics, language recognition, image recognition, natural language processing, and expert systems. AI research strives to make computers think and act like humans. In 1955, McCarthy and others organized the Dartmouth College Summer Artificial Intelligence Research Program with this goal in mind. As a result, machine learning, deep learning, and predictive analytics were born - leading to today’s normative analytics. Furthermore, data science as a field of research has blossomed. Artificial intelligence is the foundation of all computer learning, representing the future for making complex decisions. As technology develops and becomes more deeply embedded into daily life, people are beginning to question its safety and ethical implications. Great inventions often have significant repercussions for individuals and immensely affect society.

Brain-like AI holds the potential to replicate human cognitive complexity and adaptability. With applications such as autonomous vehicles, personalized medicine, and predictive financial modeling, artificial intelligence could revolutionize fields like robotics, healthcare, and finance. Floridi 2020 (General Artificial Intelligence) believes that “General AI could represent an unprecedented leap forward in our capacity for understanding and manipulating reality.” With its potential, General AI holds the potential to revolutionize industries while offering incredible growth opportunities and benefits. General AI refers to artificial intelligence systems that can perform various tasks across different domains with human-like intelligence. Morley(2022) states, “General AI, should it ever be achieved, would provide an unparalleled resource for problem-solving and global progress.” General AI, an artificial intelligence system with human-like intelligence, has the potential to perform a range of cognitive tasks usually associated with humans, such as problem-solving, creativity, and decision-making. The authors acknowledge the challenges of operationalizing AI ethics and ensuring General AI is developed and deployed responsibly and ethically. However, they point out numerous obstacles to this end, such as a need for more consensus on ethical AI, difficulty applying ethical guidelines in practice, and the potential for unintended consequences or misuse of AI. And the importance of artificial intelligence from virtue ethics is that it has the potential to promote virtuous behavior and contribute to human flourishing. This is because, as stated in the Sutrop (2019) article, “Artificial intelligence should be trustworthy, transparent, accountable, and socially beneficial to be considered virtuous. “We must develop the importance of responsible, transparent, accountable, and socially beneficial artificial intelligence. These virtues are essential to ensure that AI is developed and deployed in ways that promote human well-being and foster the common good. We should send trust between AI and its users rather than fearing or blaming AI alone. And in our strictly modern information age, Kantianism is an excellent theory for utilizing AI. In Velik’s (2012) text, we can learn about AI’s ability to help humans make decisions, solve problems, and be creative. And this is precisely in line with the ethics in Kantianism: the principle of promoting human well-being and autonomy.

Gordon-Murnane (2018) identified potential dangers associated with AI development. These include malicious use, autonomous weapons, job displacement, dependency issues, and environmental effects. Gordon-Murnane noted that developing autonomous weapons that make decisions without human input poses a potential risk. AI technology can also be abused for malicious purposes, such as cyber-attacks and espionage, or for creating fake news or propaganda. Artificial intelligence could be employed for illegal activities like cyber-attacks and intelligence gathering. AI systems can become too intelligent and difficult to control, leading to unexpected or harmful outcomes. Finally, AI development could have detrimental environmental impacts such as mass unemployment, economic disruption, and excessive human dependency.

AI Discrimination and Bias Gordon-Murnane (2018) emphasize that an AI can only be as objective as the data it’s trained on. If that data contains prejudice, it will amplify and perpetuate that prejudice. Thus, Artificial Intelligence must be ethically evaluated about bias and discrimination. AI algorithms are not guaranteed neutrality; their outcomes depend on the data they were trained with. AI systems could also be biased if data collection or selection processes are biased, leading to discriminatory effects against certain groups. The authors emphasize the importance of transparency and accountability when collecting and selecting data for AI systems. This means being transparent about data used in training AI systems and taking steps toward eliminating bias. She further stresses the significance of understanding and interpretability within these AI systems so humans can intervene as needed. Creating AI systems must address prejudice and discrimination from the outset. “Providing clarity on the ethical, legal, and social repercussions of diagnostic AI in news media could promote informed discourse about their use” (Frost 2020). Addressing ethical concerns during AI development is essential so that citizens understand their potential adverse outcomes.” The authors recommend that media coverage include information regarding its legal, honest, and social ramifications to promote informed public discourse about AI. Media outlets must create clear reporting guidelines and encourage greater collaboration between AI researchers and journalists to achieve this objective. Informing citizens about AI use and development through media coverage will enable them to make better decisions. Public awareness regarding ethical issues related to AI development is essential, while media coverage is vital in creating informed public discourse.

General AI holds tremendous potential to revolutionize the industry and bring unprecedented growth and benefits. But it also raises many ethical questions that need to be considered. AI development is complex; these systems can profoundly affect individuals, communities, society, and beyond. AI development can also present risks such as uncontrollable, deadly machines, job loss and dependency, and adverse environmental outcomes. Therefore, addressing ethical concerns in AI development is imperative to increase public awareness of its potential repercussions. Media outlets must establish clear reporting guidelines and promote collaboration between journalists, AI researchers, ethicists, and journalists to foster informed public discussions about these technologies. But to guarantee that AI development is ethical and responsible, ethical considerations must guide it.

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