AI and Ethics

Introduction:
Artificial intelligence (AI) refers to "a machine's ability to perform cognitive activities
associated with human minds, such as sensing, reasoning, learning, interacting with the
environment, problem-solving, decision-making, and even exhibiting creativity [1]." It is
a technology for a variety of reasons. It is difficult for humans to comprehend and verify
AI's decisions, and it is even more challenging to define guidelines for its use because AI
is constantly growing. AI's influence on civilizations has grown in tandem with AI-
enabled technical breakthroughs. Social considerations arise on autonomous driving, self-
directed weapon systems, and cockpit automation, even touching on life and death [2].
Artificial intelligence (AI) presents various new ethical, social, and technological issues
and several opportunities to contribute to individual well-being and the growth of
economies and society. These issues may have been rectified, resulting in a better
outcome for AI.

Impact on Society:
For our civilization, AI has both beneficial and harmful repercussions. Many
organizations in modern society aim to boost their production. According to a study,
Artificial intelligence has the potential to increase productivity by 40% and profitability
by 38% [3]. Artificial intelligence systems make decisions after gathering sufficient data
from algorithms. As a result, errors are reduced, and the chances of being precise and
accurate are increased. To accomplish a job, people must occasionally put their lives in
danger. We may now avoid the risks by delegating dangerous duties to AI robots. Going
to space, exploring the planet's farthest reaches or the deepest parts of the oceans, and
vocations requiring persons to work in mining tunnels are just a few professions
available.
One of society's primary concerns is that artificial intelligence would automate many jobs
that require a certain amount of expertise. The more automated jobs become, the more
employees will be forced to leave. While some may see it as a disadvantage of AI, others
may see it as a benefit. As more routine professions become automated, people will be
able to take on more complex, strategic, and administrative tasks [4]. In customer service
settings, conversational AI could save companies time and money. As more processes
and applications become automated, people become addicted to these advancements,
which could be a concern for future generations. AI will very definitely have a substantial
impact on society. Although many of these predictions are theoretical, we shall know
more when the time arrives. We have nothing to worry about for the time being, but we
may expect AI's advantages to outnumber its disadvantages. Another difficulty with AI is
that it can be used in real-time to track, identify, and monitor people. People will no
longer be able to use their gadgets in private, and their every step will be observed [5].
AI's growing influence on persons and communities coincides with its growing social,
environmental, and economic applications. Misuse of Artificial intelligence is a threat to
social, economic, and ecological sustainability. Ethical AI considerations must initially
be included in managerial decision-making, with day-to-day operations as a starting
point.

Ethical Question raised by Machine learning:

The first challenge is figuring out how to extract features using machine learning. Many
machine learning algorithms use artificial neural networks, which contribute to AI's
current success [6]. The opacity, unpredictability, and need for massive datasets to train
the algorithms are all aspects of these methods that create ethical concerns. Machine
learning-based AI compromises data security. On the one hand, enormous data sets are
required for training, and exposure to those data sets could raise privacy problems. Even
though no direct access to confidential data is possible, AI and its ability to discern
patterns may pose privacy problems [7].
In machine learning, privacy is also a primary ethical concern, particularly in systems
that communicate directly with the physical environment, like autonomous vehicles or
algorithms that manage key healthcare provisions. When machine-learning-enabled plans
engage with humans in a larger physical sense, safety will become more significant in the
public discourse [8]. The technical characteristics of machine learning are inextricably
linked to ethical problems. Other ethical concerns, many of which are related to the
attributes of broader socio-technical systems, are less directly related to machine learning.
Conclusion:
The possibility of AI systems exceeding human intelligence becoming increasingly
common is frightening. Furthermore, there are several ethical issues related to AI
adoption. It'll be crucial to keep these obstacles in mind when examining society's
problems. There are several approaches to determining if AI is good or harmful, and no
scientific theory or paradigm is preferable. We must keep learning and educating
ourselves to make informed decisions for our future.
References:
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3. Makridakis S. The forthcoming Artificial Intelligence (AI) revolution: Its impact on society and
firms. Futures. 2017 Jun 1;90:46-60.
4. Tai MC. The impact of artificial intelligence on human society and bioethics. Tzu-Chi Medical
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6. Petropoulos G. The impact of artificial intelligence on employment. Praise for Work in the Digital
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7. Dwivedi YK, Hughes L, Ismagilova E, Aarts G, Coombs C, Crick T, Duan Y, Dwivedi R, Edwards
J, Eirug A, Galanos V. Artificial Intelligence (AI): Multidisciplinary perspectives on emerging
challenges, opportunities, and agenda for research, practice and policy. International Journal of
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Technology and Society Magazine. 1990 Jun;9(2):7-15.