Government and Artificial Intelligence
Whether you call it machine learning, automation, or artificial intelligence, it’s impossible to ignore the impact that machine-generated software is going to alter every aspect of society. Some say AI is a demon, here to destroy ethics and jobs; others see it as a panacea, ready to save us from ourselves. The reality is more nuanced, and the future is more likely a form of computer-in-the-loop humanity, augmenting us all. But with that prediction come important questions: How do we fight bias in training data, to make sure machines don’t amplify our worst instincts? How do we ensure augmentation is available to all? How do we test and experiment responsibly? Where is AI most useful — and where should we avoid it? In this half-day workshop led by Element AI we’ll explore the challenges ahead and the leading thinking on how to confront them.
Government plays an important role in helping set the rules of the game that keep this technology advancing, while avoiding scenarios where only a few groups hold most of the power. Rewriting regulation to cover all the affected domains is just too big of a task in the timeline that government has to catch up with the technology. Government will need to rely at least in part on design principles for a new high-level framework with which to judge the current law as legislation catches up
Topics covered in the session will include:
- Ethics for research in AI and its applications to inform policy
- Understanding privacy and a shifting social contract
- Data governance and building secure systems
- Information vs. data vs. intelligence
- Rethinking intellectual property
- Preventing an arms race
