In this blog post, we will examine the potential risks of rapidly advancing artificial intelligence and explore strategies for human society to prepare for a future AI-driven society through AI ethics and the international community’s response.
The era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution is now upon us. Artificial intelligence technology—which can be considered the symbol of the Fourth Industrial Revolution—is advancing at a staggering pace and improving our quality of life. AI translation tools provide highly accurate translations, and AI-powered speakers make our daily lives more convenient.
However, there are also negative views regarding AI. Stephen Hawking warned that if AI surpasses human intelligence, it could pose a serious threat to humanity, and Bill Gates has also expressed concern about the potential dangers of AI. The bigger problem is that it is difficult to know exactly how far AI can develop—that is, where its limits lie. Therefore, the success or failure of future society will hinge on our ability to appropriately manage AI—whose full level of risk is difficult to predict—and to minimize potential hazards. Humans have chosen ethics as a tool to address the potential risks of AI. This involves establishing an ethical framework for AI researchers and developers as a kind of safety net, setting principles for the development and use of AI, and building a defense system to safeguard the human domain. In other words, humans have entrusted AI ethics with the crucial key to ensuring the safe and desirable development of AI.
Experts in AI-related fields are looking ahead to the future of AI and striving to create a society where humans are not dominated by AI. On December 13, 2016, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) released the first version of “Ethically Aligned Design.” This document was drafted through collaboration among experts in various fields—including science, law, and ethics—and outlined the principle that human values and well-being must take precedence in the design and development of autonomous and intelligent systems. The IEEE sought to establish ethical principles and guidelines to ensure that the development of artificial intelligence and autonomous and intelligent systems would contribute to the well-being of all members of society, rather than benefiting only a specific class.
Contrary to the initial announcement that the document would be 136 pages long, the first official version of “Ethically Aligned Design” was subsequently published at approximately 290 pages. This document outlines the prioritization of human well-being and ethical principles in the development of artificial intelligence and autonomous and intelligent systems. In the initial discussions, human rights, accountability, transparency, and education were identified as key issues; the document emphasized that the creation and use of AI devices must not infringe upon human rights and that the parties responsible and the criteria for accountability must be clearly defined in the event of problems. Furthermore, it was deemed necessary to make the development process and the system’s operating principles as transparent as possible and to clearly define the purposes for which AI is developed and utilized. It also stressed the importance of educating the public on the positive uses of AI and of the global community seeking ways to ensure that AI is used for the benefit of humanity. These principles and recommendations served as a crucial foundation for the subsequent development of AI ethics frameworks, aiming to ensure that AI and autonomous and intelligent systems are developed and utilized for the benefit of humanity. It is also significant in raising people’s standard of living and enabling AI developers and engineers to design AI systems based on clear ethical standards.
Governments around the world are also taking steps to prepare for the future of artificial intelligence. Let’s examine the example of the United States, which has played a leading role in the field of AI. In October 2016, the White House released a special report titled “Preparing for the Future of Artificial Intelligence.” Through this report, the U.S. government examined the current state and future potential of AI and outlined the government’s role in preparing for the impact AI will have on society and public policy. In particular, the report broadly analyzed the potential for AI to be utilized for the public good and in government operations, as well as the impact of automation on jobs and the economy, regulations applicable to AI technology, and issues such as fairness, safety, and accountability.
It also highlighted the potential to enhance social benefits through the use of AI in a wide range of fields, including transportation, healthcare, the environment, criminal justice, and economic inclusion. Furthermore, by offering policy recommendations to help the entire U.S. society—including the government, public institutions, businesses, and universities—prepare for the future of AI, the report aimed to establish a national framework for responding to AI research and application.
At the EU level, discussions were also held to address the legal and ethical issues arising from the development of AI and robotics. On February 16, 2017, the European Parliament adopted a “Resolution on Civil Law Rules on Robotics” and called for the establishment of a legal framework to address issues such as liability, transparency, safety, and ethics that may arise from the development of AI and robotics. Although the possibility of granting highly autonomous robots a new legal status, such as “electronic personhood,” in the long term was raised during the discussions at that time, no actual legal status of “electronic human” was conferred upon robots. Rather than establishing robots themselves as subjects of legal liability, the resolution focused on how to clarify the responsibilities of robot developers, manufacturers, operators, owners, and users. These discussions emphasized the need to ensure that future artificial intelligence and robots do not harm humans and respect human dignity, autonomy, and the right to self-determination.
The documents and resolutions mentioned above can all be considered guidelines and policy discussions aimed at preparing for a future society shaped by artificial intelligence. However, there are slight differences in their specific details. The IEEE’s “Ethically Aligned Design” focuses on the development and design of artificial intelligence and autonomous and intelligent systems, emphasizing the ethical principles to be followed during the development process and a human-centered design approach. This orientation is particularly pronounced because the document was drafted with the participation of experts from various fields, including researchers and technology specialists. In contrast, the U.S. government’s special report examines AI issues from a national perspective. It differs from the IEEE document in that it proposes not only the technical development of AI itself but also the regulatory and policy responses necessary for its application in society and public policy. The EU resolution addresses the potential impact of advancements in AI and robotics on human rights and safety from a legal and institutional perspective; as such, it is more directly aimed at protecting humans from future AI and robotics and responding to social risks.
The general public still lacks sufficient understanding of the current state and potential of AI. This is evident from the widespread astonishment that followed the outcome of the match between AlphaGo and 9-dan Lee Sedol. Although we have heard the term “artificial intelligence” countless times, the truth is that we do not precisely know what AI actually is or how it will affect our lives in the future. However, the Fourth Industrial Revolution is already underway in various sectors of our society, and we are living in the future of the AI era. Let us gain a clear understanding of AI and examine the guidelines proposed by countries and experts around the world on how it should be used. Through the reports and resolutions mentioned above, we can see that each document was drafted with a different purpose in mind and targeted different groups and sectors, resulting in variations in content and approach. By engaging with and reading a wide range of guidelines and policy documents, we can gain a comprehensive understanding of the multifaceted impacts of AI. Only then will people in future society be able to understand AI more broadly and use it appropriately.
