Sharing Our AI Ethics Framework

Artificial intelligence (AI) is one of the biggest technology revolutions of our time. In the same way we have electrified factories and machines in the past century, we will infuse AI into every software and system in the 21st century. In time, and as I’ve said before, I fundamentally believe that every organization will become an AI organization.

While AI holds exciting possibilities, public trust in technology is today at a low point. For AI to flourish, restoring trust is paramount. Business leaders have a critical role to play in increasing the level of trust we have in AI systems. This is especially important if we are to apply AI in essential, highly regulated and safety-critical domains such as healthcare or banking.

IBM has always committed itself to bringing technology into the world responsibly. As I shared during my panel at the World Economic Forum’s Davos Agenda, I will co-chair the Global AI Action Alliance, a new organization that will set standards and provide tools to guide the responsible development and deployment of AI worldwide. To help advance the group’s work, IBM will share our approach to AI Ethics to be a resource to others.

For businesses, instilling trust in AI means avoiding bias, being explainable and reproducing results. This is why IBM’s AI Ethics Board guides technology decisions across our company. At every stage of its development, IBMers are invested in ensuring that AI systems are deployed responsibly. Through the Global AI Action Alliance, we are making our expertise available to other organizations to help bolster public trust in AI worldwide.

Increasing the level of trust in AI systems isn’t just a moral imperative, it’s good business sense. If clients, employees and stakeholders don’t trust AI, our society cannot reap the benefits it can offer. No one organization has all the answers or ability to tackle this challenge on its own. As we help the world bring to bear the immense power of AI, it is imperative that we include as many viewpoints and backgrounds as possible in the conversation. This is why we are lending our expertise and encouraging others to join us in this global collective effort.