Where are the boundaries of artificial intelligence ethics?

——Artificial Intelligence Search Q&A Series 29

[Editor's Note] This official account publishes a question response to the academic search of "Doubao". The question is “Where is the boundary of artificial intelligence ethics?”

【Doubao Academic Search】

The boundaries of artificial intelligence ethics are a complex and practical issue. With the rapid development of artificial intelligence technology, its wide application in various fields has brought many ethical challenges. Clarifying the boundaries of artificial intelligence ethics will help regulate the development of artificial intelligence and make it better serve human society.

1. Ethical issues arising from artificial intelligence

1. Data breach and privacy issues: Artificial intelligence systems usually require a large amount of data for training and optimization, which involves the collection, storage and use of data. If the data is not managed properly, it may lead to personal privacy leakage. For example, if the patient data collected by some smart medical devices is illegally obtained, it may have a serious impact on the patient's lives.

2. Algorithm discrimination: Artificial intelligence algorithms may inadvertently produce discriminatory results. This may be caused by deviations in the training data or unreasonable algorithm design. For example, the AI ​​screening system used during the recruitment process may produce unfair screening results for certain specific groups.

3. The boundaries of artificial intelligence permissions are unclear: When performing tasks, the scope of permissions of artificial intelligence is often not clear enough. This could cause AI systems to operate beyond their due permissions, causing a series of problems. For example, decisions made by some self-driving cars in the face of emergencies may spark controversy over their authority boundaries.

4. Moral responsibility issue: When artificial intelligence systems make wrong decisions or cause adverse consequences, who should bear moral responsibility? Is it the developer, user or the artificial intelligence system itself? There is no clear answer to this question yet.

2. Difficulties in determining the boundaries of artificial intelligence ethics

1. Rapid development and uncertainty of technology: Artificial intelligence technology is developing rapidly, and new application scenarios and technologies are emerging continuously, which makes it difficult to determine the boundaries of ethics. For example, with the emergence of generative artificial intelligence, the ethical problems it brings, such as the generation of false information, infringement of intellectual property rights, etc., need to reexamine the boundaries of ethics.

2. Conflict of interest and greed: Technological experts, enterprises and governments may have conflicts of interest in the development of artificial intelligence. Some people may ignore ethical issues for economic or political purposes, thus hindering the determination of ethical boundaries. For example, some companies may launch artificial intelligence products without fully considering ethical issues in order to pursue profits.

3. Difficulties in openness and transparency: Determining the boundaries of artificial intelligence ethics requires openness and transparency in the development and application of artificial intelligence. However, due to reasons such as trade secrets and technical complexity, it faces great difficulties to achieve this goal. For example, some AI algorithms may be trade secrets and companies are reluctant to disclose their details, making it difficult for the public to conduct ethical evaluations.

3. Possible ways to determine the boundaries of artificial intelligence ethics

1. Multidisciplinary cooperation and dialogue: Artificial intelligence ethics involves multiple disciplines such as philosophy, computer science, sociology, and law. Through multidisciplinary cooperation and dialogue, in-depth analysis of the ethical issues of artificial intelligence can be carried out from different angles, providing a more comprehensive perspective for determining the boundaries of ethics. For example, philosophers can explore the moral status and responsibilities of artificial intelligence from the perspective of moral philosophy, computer scientists can propose methods to ensure the safety and fairness of artificial intelligence from a technical level, and sociologists can study the impact of artificial intelligence on social structure and interpersonal relationships. , Legal scholars can formulate relevant laws and regulations to regulate the development of artificial intelligence.

2. International cooperation: Artificial intelligence is a global issue that requires joint efforts by all countries to determine the boundaries of ethics. Through international cooperation, experience and best practices can be shared and unified ethical standards and norms can be formulated. For example, countries can jointly discuss the ethical issues of artificial intelligence and formulate relevant international conventions under the framework of international organizations such as the United Nations.

3. Public participation: The development of artificial intelligence will have a profound impact on the lives of the public, so the public should participate in the determination of the boundaries of artificial intelligence ethics. Through public participation, the public can be improved in the public's awareness of the ethical issues of artificial intelligence and the public's supervision role can be enhanced. For example, the government can participate in the formulation of artificial intelligence policies by holding hearings and soliciting public opinions.

4. Ethical design and governance: In the design and development stage of artificial intelligence, ethical issues should be considered and ethical principles should be integrated into the artificial intelligence system. At the same time, an effective ethical governance mechanism is established to supervise and manage the research and development and application of artificial intelligence. For example, companies can establish ethical review committees to conduct ethical assessments of artificial intelligence projects; governments can strengthen supervision of the artificial intelligence market and crack down on immoral artificial intelligence behavior.

To sum up, determining the boundaries of artificial intelligence ethics is a complex and arduous task, requiring multidisciplinary cooperation, international cooperation, public participation, and ethical design and governance. Only by clarifying the boundaries of artificial intelligence ethics can the development of artificial intelligence be better regulated and bring more welfare to human society.

What are the specific models of multidisciplinary cooperation in the determination of the boundary of artificial intelligence ethics?

The determination of the boundaries of artificial intelligence ethics is a complex issue that requires multidisciplinary cooperation to jointly explore and construct. Multidisciplinary cooperation can provide more comprehensive and in-depth thinking and solutions for the determination of the boundaries of artificial intelligence ethics from different perspectives and professional fields. The following are the specific models of multidisciplinary cooperation in the determination of the boundary of artificial intelligence ethics:

1. Cooperation between law and ethics

Law and ethics play an important role in determining the boundaries of artificial intelligence ethics. Law can provide legal frameworks and norms for the development of artificial intelligence, ensuring that the development and application of artificial intelligence are carried out within the scope of law. Ethics can explore the principles and values ​​that should be followed in the development of artificial intelligence from a moral level.

For example, on the issue of legal liability for artificial intelligence, law and ethics can jointly explore how to determine the legal liability of artificial intelligence developers, users and owners. When an AI system errors or causes damage, it is necessary to clarify who should be held responsible. Ethics can provide thoughts about moral responsibility, while law can transform these moral principles into specific legal provisions.

In addition, law and ethics can also cooperate in privacy protection. Law can formulate legal provisions for privacy protection, while ethics can explore the moral basis and value of privacy protection. Through multidisciplinary cooperation, we can ensure that the development of artificial intelligence is both in line with legal provisions and in line with moral principles.

2. Cooperation between medicine and ethics

In the field of medicine, artificial intelligence is becoming more and more widely used, such as medical diagnosis, disease prediction and treatment plan recommendation. However, the application of artificial intelligence in the medical field has also brought about a series of ethical problems, such as the privacy protection of medical data, the accuracy and reliability of artificial intelligence diagnosis, and the role of artificial intelligence in medical decision-making.

The collaboration between medicine and ethics can help determine the ethical boundaries of artificial intelligence in the medical field. For example, in terms of the use and sharing of medical data, medicine and ethics can jointly explore how to ensure that patients’ privacy is protected while making full use of medical data for medical research and the development of artificial intelligence. Ethics can provide ethical principles about privacy protection and data sharing, while medicine can provide expertise on the characteristics and needs of medical data.

In addition, in terms of artificial intelligence-assisted medical decision-making, medicine and ethics can collaborate to explore how to ensure that AI decision-making complies with medical ethical principles, such as the principle of non-harm, the principle of fairness and the principle of respecting patient autonomy. Medicine can provide expertise in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases, while ethics can provide thinking and guidance on ethical decision-making.

3. Cooperation between technology and ethics

Experts in the field of technology can provide technical expertise in determining the boundaries of artificial intelligence ethics. They can understand the development trends and potential risks of artificial intelligence technology, and provide technical background and realistic basis for discussion of ethics.

For example, in the algorithm design of artificial intelligence, technical experts and ethicists can collaborate to explore how to ensure the impartiality and transparency of algorithms. Technical experts can explain how algorithms work and potential sources of bias, while ethicists can provide ethical principles and values ​​about fairness and transparency.

In addition, technology and ethics can also cooperate on the security issues of artificial intelligence. Technologists can provide technical solutions for the security of artificial intelligence systems, while ethicists can explore the moral implications and implications of security issues. Through multidisciplinary cooperation, we can ensure that the technological development of artificial intelligence complies with ethical principles, and at the same time, we can give full play to the technological advantages of artificial intelligence.

4. Cooperation between sociology and ethics

Sociology can provide a social perspective and analysis for the determination of the boundaries of artificial intelligence ethics. Sociology can study the impact of artificial intelligence on social structure, social relations and social values, providing social background and realistic basis for discussion of ethics.

For example, in terms of the impact of AI on employment, sociology and ethics can jointly explore how to ensure that the development of AI does not lead to large-scale unemployment, while creating new employment opportunities for society. Sociology can analyze the impact of artificial intelligence on different industries and occupations, while ethicists can provide ethical principles and values ​​on fair employment and social welfare.

Furthermore, sociology and ethics can collaborate in the assessment of social impact of artificial intelligence. Sociology can provide methods and tools for social impact assessment, while ethicists can provide ethical standards and values ​​for social impact assessment. Through multidisciplinary cooperation, we can ensure that the development of artificial intelligence is in line with the interests and values ​​of society.

In short, the determination of the boundaries of artificial intelligence ethics requires multidisciplinary cooperation. Different disciplines such as law, medicine, technology and sociology can provide different perspectives and solutions for the determination of the boundaries of artificial intelligence ethics from their respective professional fields. Through multidisciplinary cooperation, we can ensure that the development of artificial intelligence is in line with the laws of technological development and human morality and values.

What challenges does international cooperation face in determining the boundaries of artificial intelligence ethics?

International cooperation faces many complex challenges in identifying the boundaries of artificial intelligence ethics, which will be elaborated in detail below.

1. Misunderstandings caused by cultural differences

There are differences in the understanding and focus of ethics under different cultural backgrounds. For example, in some cultures, individual rights and freedoms may be highly valued, while in others, collective interests may be preferred. This cultural difference can easily lead to different perceptions of the ethical boundaries of artificial intelligence. Taking Europe, North America and East Asia as examples, we currently have great influence in artificial intelligence ethics and governance, but due to different cultures, we face many obstacles in cooperation. On the one hand, misunderstandings between different cultures can undermine cross-cultural trust, which is more destructive to some extent than fundamental differences. On the other hand, even if there are fundamental differences, they do not necessarily hinder fruitful cross-cultural cooperation. This is because cooperation does not require agreement between principles and standards in all areas of artificial intelligence, and on some practical issues, it is possible to reach agreement even if there are differences in more abstract values ​​or principles.

2. Imbalance caused by technological advantages

Countries that are leading in artificial intelligence technology and rules are in a cycle of rapid accumulation of technological advantages. This advantage is likely to become a "bottleneck" tool, hindering the progress of late-developed artificial intelligence countries. For example, before ensuring that its own technology is absolutely ahead, the United States is often unwilling to strictly limit the development of the technology, so it often lags behind the progress of various countries and technology development in artificial intelligence governance. This unbalanced development trend has put international cooperation in the face of huge challenges in determining the boundaries of artificial intelligence ethics. Because leading countries may be more inclined to maintain their technological advantages and ignore the unified determination of ethical boundaries around the world.

3. Lack of trust

There is a problem of lack of trust between different countries and regions. This lack of trust may be due to various factors such as history, politics, and economics. In the field of artificial intelligence, trust issues are more prominent due to the complexity of technology and potential risks. Countries have doubts about the development and application of artificial intelligence technology in other countries and are worried that their own interests will be damaged. For example, countries have different standards and concerns about the cross-border flow and use of data in terms of data security and privacy protection, which makes international cooperation face difficulties in determining the boundaries of artificial intelligence ethics.

4. Challenges at the practical level

1. Coordination difficulties: Different countries and regions have differences in geographical location, legal systems, policy formulation, etc., which makes international cooperation face the problem of coordination difficulties in actual operations. For example, when formulating AI ethical standards, the legal systems and cultural backgrounds of different countries need to be considered, which adds to the complexity of cooperation.

2. Lack of unified evaluation standards: At present, the evaluation standards for artificial intelligence ethics have not been unified, and different countries and institutions may adopt different methods and indicators. This makes it difficult to determine common ethical boundaries in international cooperation and to effectively supervise and manage the development and application of artificial intelligence technology.

V. Dynamic changes in ethical principles

Artificial intelligence technology is developing rapidly, and ethical principles also need to be continuously adjusted and improved. Different countries and regions may differ in the speed and direction of ethical principles, which makes international cooperation face challenges in determining the boundaries of artificial intelligence ethics. For example, over time, machine ethics may change, which requires the joint efforts of all countries to adjust ethical principles in a timely manner to adapt to the development of technology.

6. Uncertainty of social impact

The application of artificial intelligence technology may have broad and far-reaching impacts on society, with uncertainties. Different countries and regions may also have differences in the assessment and response methods of the social impact of artificial intelligence technology. For example, in the fields of employment, education, medical care, etc., the application of artificial intelligence technology may bring different challenges and opportunities. Countries need to jointly discuss how to deal with these social impacts and determine reasonable ethical boundaries in international cooperation.

How to establish a more effective artificial intelligence ethical governance mechanism?

While the rapid development of artificial intelligence has brought many conveniences and opportunities to mankind, it has also caused a series of ethical issues. It is crucial to establish a more effective ethical governance mechanism for artificial intelligence. The following is a detailed explanation of how to establish a more effective artificial intelligence ethical governance mechanism.

1. Collaborative governance model with multiple subject participation

Abandon the traditional governance model with the government as the absolute dominant government and adopt a collaborative governance model with multiple subjects participating. This model emphasizes "vertical connectivity" and "horizontal consultation" between risk governance subjects. Governments, enterprises, scientific research institutions, social organizations and the public should participate in the ethical governance of artificial intelligence.

Government: The government should play a role in macro-control and supervision, formulate relevant laws, regulations and policies, and provide institutional guarantees for the ethical governance of artificial intelligence. For example, clarify the ethical standards and norms for the development and application of artificial intelligence, and punish violations of ethical norms.

Enterprise: As the main developers and applications of artificial intelligence technology, enterprises should assume social responsibilities and incorporate ethical principles into the entire process of technology research and development and application. In the technology research and development stage, enterprises should fully consider the ethical risks that technology may bring and take corresponding preventive measures; in the technology application stage, enterprises should establish and improve user feedback mechanisms to promptly understand and deal with ethical issues raised by users.

Research institutions: Research institutions should strengthen research on the ethical issues of artificial intelligence and provide theoretical support and technical solutions for ethical governance. For example, conduct research on the ethical risk assessment of artificial intelligence, develop ethical review tools and technologies, and provide decision-making references for enterprises and governments.

Social organizations: Social organizations can play a role in supervision and advocacy to promote social participation in the ethical governance of artificial intelligence. Social organizations can improve the public's awareness and attention to the ethical issues of artificial intelligence by carrying out publicity and education activities; and promote the implementation of ethical governance of artificial intelligence by supervising the behavior of enterprises and governments.

Public: As users and stakeholders of artificial intelligence technology, the public should actively participate in the ethical governance of artificial intelligence. The public can express their interests and ethical concerns by participating in public discussions, putting forward opinions and suggestions, and promote the democratization and scientificization of artificial intelligence ethical governance.

2. Ethics embedded in all stages of artificial intelligence technology innovation

Ethics and morality should be embedded in many stages from the innovation of artificial intelligence technology to large-scale application, forming a risk governance path that combines segmented governance and overall coordination. Specifically, it can be divided into the following four stages:

Design stage: Ethical embedding is carried out in the design stage, led by artificial intelligence experts, and the moral design of artificial intelligence is realized through the "prediction-evaluation-design" model. Artificial intelligence experts should fully consider the ethical risks that technology may bring at the beginning of technology design and incorporate ethical principles into technology design. For example, when designing smart medical devices, the protection of the device's privacy should be considered; when designing smart traffic systems, the system's protection of pedestrian safety should be considered.

Experimental stage: Ethical evaluation is conducted during the trial stage, led by the evaluation committee, and the artificial intelligence development plan is corrected and improved through the prediction and identification of ethical effects, analysis and clarification of ethical problems, and development and determination of solutions. The evaluation committee should be composed of representatives from all parties including the government, enterprises, scientific research institutions, social organizations and the public to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the ethical risks of artificial intelligence technology in the experimental stage and propose corresponding solutions.

Promotion stage: Ethical adjustment is carried out during the promotion stage, led by government departments, and through three paths: system adjustment, public opinion adjustment and education adjustment, the smooth integration of artificial intelligence and social value system is achieved. Government departments should formulate relevant policies and regulations to guide enterprises and society to correctly use artificial intelligence technology; through public opinion guidance, create a good social atmosphere, and improve the public's awareness and acceptance of artificial intelligence technology; through popularization of education, improve the public's digital Literacy and ethical awareness enhance the public's rational understanding and correct use of artificial intelligence technology.

Use stage: In the use stage, users are the leading one, and by actively taking responsibility for others, the world, technology and oneself, we can confirm our position as an ethical and moral dynamic body, and be the ethical potential of artificial intelligence by actively taking responsibility for others, the world, technology and oneself. Provide support for the implementation of the Users should abide by ethical norms when using artificial intelligence technology, respect the rights and interests of others, not abuse technology, and not infringe on others' privacy and security.

3. Establish and improve information data protection system

With the development of artificial intelligence technology, data security and privacy protection issues are becoming increasingly prominent. Establishing and improving the information data protection system is an important part of establishing a more effective artificial intelligence ethical governance mechanism.

Strengthen data security management: Enterprises and governments should strengthen data security management and adopt encryption, backup, access control and other measures to ensure the security and integrity of data. At the same time, supervision of data storage and transmission links should be strengthened to prevent data leakage and illegal theft.

Clarify the use of data: Enterprises and governments should clarify the use of data and stipulate the ethical requirements and legal responsibilities for the collection, storage, use and sharing of data. For example, when collecting user data, enterprises should clearly inform the user's use and scope and obtain the user's consent; when using user data, they should abide by relevant ethical norms and legal provisions and shall not abuse data.

Strengthen privacy protection: Enterprises and governments should strengthen the protection of user privacy and adopt technical means and management measures to prevent user privacy from being leaked and violated. For example, enterprises can use technical means such as anonymization and encryption to protect users' personal information; the government can formulate relevant laws and regulations to strengthen supervision of corporate privacy protection behavior.

4. Strengthen education and training

Strengthening education and training and improving the public's ethical awareness and digital literacy is the basis for establishing a more effective artificial intelligence ethical governance mechanism.

Carry out ethical education: Schools and society should carry out artificial intelligence ethical education to cultivate students and the public's ethical awareness and sense of responsibility. Ethical education should cover the development history, ethical issues, governance mechanisms and other aspects of artificial intelligence technology, so that students and the public can understand the essence and impact of artificial intelligence technology and improve their understanding and attention to the ethical issues of artificial intelligence.

Improve digital literacy: Schools and society should strengthen digital literacy education for the public and improve the public's digital skills and information processing capabilities. Digital literacy education should include basic computer knowledge, network security knowledge, information retrieval and evaluation capabilities, so that the public can correctly use artificial intelligence technology and avoid ethical problems caused by insufficient digital skills.

Strengthen professional training: Enterprises and governments should strengthen professional training for artificial intelligence practitioners to improve their ethical awareness and technical level. Professional training should include the latest developments of artificial intelligence technology, ethical issues, governance mechanisms, etc., so that practitioners can understand the development trends and ethical requirements of artificial intelligence technology and improve their technical level and ethical literacy.

5. Strengthen international cooperation

The development of artificial intelligence is global, and the ethical governance of artificial intelligence also requires international cooperation. Strengthening international cooperation and jointly responding to the ethical challenges of artificial intelligence is an inevitable choice to establish a more effective ethical governance mechanism for artificial intelligence.

Formulate international standards: Countries should strengthen cooperation and jointly formulate artificial intelligence ethical standards and norms to provide unified standards and basis for global artificial intelligence ethical governance. International standards should cover the research and development, application, and management of artificial intelligence technology, and clarify the ethical requirements and legal responsibilities of artificial intelligence technology.

Strengthen information sharing: All countries should strengthen information sharing and promptly understand and grasp the latest developments and experiences and practices of global artificial intelligence ethical governance. Information sharing can be carried out through international conferences, academic exchanges, cooperative research, etc., to promote exchanges and cooperation among countries in the ethical governance of artificial intelligence.

Co-respond to challenges: All countries should jointly respond to the ethical challenges of artificial intelligence and strengthen cooperation in artificial intelligence security, privacy protection, fairness, etc. For example, countries can jointly carry out artificial intelligence security research and develop safe and reliable artificial intelligence technologies; jointly strengthen supervision of artificial intelligence privacy protection to prevent user privacy from being leaked and violated; jointly promote the fair application of artificial intelligence technology and eliminate the digital divide.

To sum up, establishing a more effective artificial intelligence ethical governance mechanism requires collaborative governance models with multiple subjects participating, ethics embedded in all stages of artificial intelligence technology innovation, establishing and improving information data protection systems, strengthening education and training, and strengthening international cooperation. efforts. Only through the joint efforts of all parties can a more effective mechanism for ethical governance of artificial intelligence be established, the healthy development of artificial intelligence technology can be promoted, and more welfare can be brought to human society.

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