Ethical AI: How can we ensure a more innovative and just future for all?
On October 30th, President Biden signed an executive order on the “safe, secure, and trustworthy development and use of artificial intelligence.” However, safety and trust have long been concerns when it comes to the development of new technologies, specifically those that utilize machine learning. Many films have had this concern as the basis for their plot lines – I, Robot, Her, Ex Machina – to name a few. These films were released in 2004, 2013, and 2014 respectively – and we now find ourselves in the year 2023, with artificial intelligence (AI) being top of mind for corporations, academic institutions, nonprofits, and governing bodies around the world.
As history has shown us, innovation can transform society for the better, have negative residual effects, or a bit of both. We are at a critical juncture, and it’s up to us to decide which path we want to take. In his executive order, President Biden states, “responsible AI use has the potential to help solve urgent challenges while making our world more prosperous, productive, innovative, and secure. At the same time, irresponsible use could exacerbate societal harms such as fraud, discrimination, bias, and disinformation; displace and disempower workers; stifle competition; and pose risks to national security.”
As technologists in a quickly evolving world, it will be increasingly important to have both an understanding of how to use AI to enhance our capabilities as knowledge workers and creators, but also to have an understanding of how to mitigate potential harm.
Here is a list of resources, both at the University of Michigan and beyond, to jump start your learning journey and help you become an advocate for ethical AI:
Organizations to follow:
- AI for Good
- Algorithm Watch
- Center for AI and Digital Policy
- MIT Media Lab
- Partnership on AI
- Salesforce’s Office of Ethical and Humane Use of Technology
Books to read:
- Atlas of AI: Power, Politics, and the Planetary Costs of Artificial Intelligence
- The Ethical Algorithm: The Science of Socially Aware Algorithm Design
- Moral Machines: Teaching Robots Right from Wrong
- Human Compatible: Artificial Intelligence and the Problem of Control
Courses to take at Michigan Engineering:
- EECS 445: Introduction to Machine Learning
- EECS 448: Applied Machine Learning for Modeling Human Behavior
- EECS 453: Principles of Machine Learning
- EECS 492: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence
- CSE 543 (ROB 543): Ethics for AI and Robotics
- EECS 545: Machine Learning (CSE)
- CSE 592: Foundations of Artificial Intelligence
Courses to take at the Ross School of Business:
- FIN 427: Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in Investment Strategies
- TO 433: Artificial Intelligence for Business
- TO 633: Artificial Intelligence for Business
- TO 438: Empowering Business Decision Making with Generative AI
- TO 538: Empowering Business Decision Making with Generative AI