13.5 Ethical AI & Societal Impact

Imagine you have a super-smart robot that can do amazing things. That's a bit like Artificial Intelligence, or AI! But just like we need to make sure we use our own smarts for good, we also need to make sure AI is used in a fair and helpful way for everyone. This section is all about thinking about what's right and wrong when it comes to AI, and how AI can change our world.

13.5.1 Bias in AI, Privacy Concerns

Sometimes, AI can accidentally be unfair, and that's called "bias." Think of it like this: if you only taught a robot about one type of dog, it might think all other dogs are wrong! AI learns from information we give it, and if that information is one-sided or incomplete, the AI can make unfair decisions. For example, an AI that helps decide who gets a loan might accidentally be biased against certain groups of people if it learned from old data that had unfair patterns.

Another big thing to think about with AI is "privacy." AI often needs to look at a lot of information, like pictures, words, or even what we like to buy. This information is called "data." It's super important to make sure that our personal data is kept safe and private, and that AI isn't using it in ways we don't want. Imagine if an AI knew everything about you – that could feel a bit weird, right? So, scientists and lawmakers are working hard to figure out how to keep our data safe while still letting AI do amazing things.

13.5.2 AI Safety and Governance

Making sure AI is "safe" means making sure it doesn't do anything harmful, even by accident. Think of a self-driving car. We want to be sure it's super safe and won't crash! AI safety is about designing AI systems so they are reliable, predictable, and don't cause any problems. This also means thinking about what happens if an AI makes a mistake, and how we can fix it.

"Governance" in AI means setting up rules and guidelines for how AI should be developed and used. It's like having a set of rules for a game to make sure everyone plays fair and no one gets hurt. Governments and organizations around the world are talking about how to create these rules for AI. They want to make sure AI benefits everyone, doesn't get used for bad things, and that we have ways to solve problems if they come up. It's all about making sure AI is a helpful tool for humanity, and not something we need to worry about.

Bibliography

Bias in AI:
- "Bias in AI." IBM, https://www.ibm.com/topics/ai-bias
Privacy Concerns in AI:

Privacy in an AI Era: How Do We Protect Our Personal Information?

Date

March 18, 2024

- https://hai.stanford.edu/news/privacy-ai-era-how-do-we-protect-our-personal-information
AI Safety:
- "AI Safety." 80,000 Hours, https://80000hours.org/problem-profiles/ai-safety/
AI Governance:
- "What is AI Governance and Why Does It Matter?" World Economic Forum, https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2023/11/ai-governance-guide-artificial-intelligence-regulation-ethics/