Responsible AI: Finding the Promise; Avoiding the Unintended Consequences

“Artificial intelligence,” or AI, is not a new phenomenon, but over the past year, it’s reached a new inflection point. What’s causing all the buzz?

I was interviewed by CoolBrands People to discuss what is causing all the buzz. Here is part of our conversation.?

Angela, what is your observation of the rapid rise of AI — and its accelerating role in our businesses and our lives?

At the end of January 2022, when my home team, the Philadelphia Eagles, lost the Superbowl, a colleague sent me a poem he wrote about the loss. I learned later that it was composed entirely by the AI chatbot ChatGPT. At that moment I realized just how pervasive AI had become. Suddenly, everywhere I turned, AI dominated the conversation — from artists wondering about its effect on the value of their work to businesses questioning how much to open AI platforms to their employees. The rapid rate at which these discussions have emerged has us all talking about the exciting possibilities of AI but also the potential watch-outs.

How far along is AI on its journey forward?

It’s been said that AI today is like a confident toddler. Translation: it’s often confidently inaccurate. If we put a question into ChatGPT, it may provide a strange response. Interacting effectively with the program requires an understanding of how to best format questions to receive the most precise and relevant answer. As we continue to be more exacting with our questions, and as more people feed into the program, generative chatbots are expected to use the data to consistently improve its responses.

What ethical dilemmas does AI present? How can we meet the challenges?

Complex AI algorithms often operate like “black boxes,” producing results without clear and accessible explanations of how conclusions were reached. This lack of transparency can expose organizations to vulnerabilities and risks in decision-making.

Thank you, Angela, for sharing your insights with us.