- Think about the future of technology and AI, and see RRI as an ongoing process for this and any upcoming projects
- Reflect about ideas for adapting to the future
In this lesson we’ll explore why continuous ethical analysis is so important, what challenges and opportunities lie ahead, and how you can make sure your app stays responsible not just now, but far into the future.
Being a great innovator means always thinking ahead and being ready for anything!
In past lessons we’ve talked about ethics and Responsible Research and Innovation. Let’s remember some of the key ideas.
ETHICS RECAP
What is Ethics?
- Moral principles about what is right and wrong
- Important in the world of technology and AI
- You do not want to cause harm, even if by accident
- Your project must help people and society
What is Algorithmic Bias?
- Where programmer causes their program to treat some users better than others
- or the AI model is trained without using diverse samples
- Creating unfair outcomes for some users
- It may not be intentional but can still affect users negatively
Take a look at this video to watch a recap about stakeholders, and other key points for making ethical technology.
RESPONSIBLE RESEARCH AND INNOVATION RECAP
So far in our “Responsible Technology and AI Use” journey, we’ve learned about the Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) principles, and how to:
Anticipate (think ahead)
Reflect (look inward)
Engage (work together)
Act (take concrete actions)
These are all important steps! But here’s the thing about technology, especially AI: it changes really fast! What seems like a good idea today might have new challenges tomorrow.
As technology and AI get more powerful, the benefits will get bigger, but so will the risks. This power opens up many opportunities for technologies that help communities around the world. On the other hand, powerful AI could have big unintended consequences.
BEING AN ETHICAL CREATOR IS A JOURNEY
The key is to understand that a great app isn’t just made once; it’s managed over time to make sure it continues to do good. You and your team should always be asking: “What can we do now to make our app even more responsible?”. Your values or the context might change over time, so you need to do this reflection continuously.
Here are some ideas:
Improve your skills, ask questions and think about how to make your app better.
It’s not just about avoiding bad things. It’s about having an intentional mission to help your community in a kind and fair way.
Set aside time and energy for ethics, just like you would for designing your app’s look or writing the code.
The leader’s job is to remind everyone to think about being responsible, especially when you’re all busy and excited about new ideas.
Share your ideas with everyone and don’t be afraid to ask for help from peers, mentors, users or professionals.
ACTIVITY: YOUR CONTINUOUS ETHICS ACTION PLAN
It's an ongoing journey!
REFLECTION
Now that you have learned more about ethics and your part in making sure your project has only positive impact, consider these questions:
REVIEW OF KEY TERMS
- Ethics – set of moral principles that affect how people decide what’s right or wrong
- Bias – preconceived ideas somebody has that are often unfair to some people or groups
- Stakeholders – people or entities that will affect or be affected by decision or actions take by an organization or business
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Here are more videos on ethics and positive impact in technology. Click each tab to view the video.
