AI for the Good: Artificial Intelligence and Ethics (Management for Professionals)

259 Pages·2021·6.671 MB·English

by  Stefan H. Vieweg (editor)

Management for Professionals
Stefan H. Vieweg Editor
AI for the Good
Artifi cial Intelligence and Ethics
Management for Professionals
The Springer series Management for Professionals comprises high-level business
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Stefan H. Vieweg
Editor
AI for the Good
Artificial Intelligence and Ethics
Editor
StefanH.Vieweg
InstituteforComplianceandCorporate
Governance
RFH-UniversityofAppliedSciences
Cologne
Cologne,Germany
ISSN2192-8096 ISSN2192-810X (electronic)
ManagementforProfessionals
ISBN978-3-030-66912-6 ISBN978-3-030-66913-3 (eBook)
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For humans who dare to shape future
at its best.
Preface
There is already a comprehensive amount of specific literature available on ethical
issues of theworld,as ison digitization and modern technologies suchasartificial
intelligence (“AI”). While this is true, we are at the crossroads of how factually
uncontrollabletechnologycanbeusedinausefulandsocietalcomparableway.This
leadsdirectlytothefactthatasocietymustfindareflectivewayofdealingwiththis
technologyandthusalsohastorelocateethicalstandards,becauseAIhasenormous
potential—bothinasociallygoodanddestructivesense.
Thefollowingbasicconsiderationscanserveasorientation:
1. The human being is a social being and needs exchange; therefore, ethics are
needed that summarize the social conventions, even if they differ in time and
place,andprovideorientationandsupport.
2. Digitizationiscurrentlychangingourworldmassively,andwithitthewaywe
interact with each other. AI is one integral part and probably not obvious to
everyone. Some applications such as service robots for people in need of help
mayquicklyraiseethicalissues—despitemajortechnicalAIinsufficiencies(see
3.below)—suchastherelationshipofdependencies.
3. AI is a technology that has become enormously more powerful in technical
terms (information processing speed and capacity) over the last few decades,
thus opening new application possibilities. However, this progress is by no
meansatthecognitivelevel!Today’sAIapplicationsstagnateinfactinpattern
recognition,i.e.,allapplications—eveniftheycomealongindifferentforms—
canultimatelybetracedbacktopatternrecognition,whicheitherorientatesitself
onprevioustemplates(e.g.,speechrecognition,facialrecognition,textrecogni-
tion,trackingofindividuals,andchatbots)ortriestorecognizenewconnections
“unsupervised” (e.g., by specific deep learning (“DL”) approaches). In this
respect, AI can now recognize patterns and process information in repetitive
processes much better than ever before and with impressive success: much
better than humans could ever do (so-called weak AI). But AI has no soul, no
desire,noemotions,andnovalues(forwhichitisworthwhiletouse—outof—
quitechangeable—conviction)aswehumanshave.Inthisrespect,ahuman-like
so-calledstrongAIstillseemstobealongwayofffromtoday’sperspective.
vii
viii Preface
4. Generalcharacteristics,whichmustbegiven,sothatAIworkswell,arefirstly
suitable algorithms and secondly suitable data. Only in the combination of
algorithm and data new insights can be gained. If one of the components is
questionable,unsuitable,oreveninsufficient,theresultcanbedisastrous,asreal
applicationexampleshaverepeatedlyshown(e.g.,unintentionaldiscrimination
of applicants in an AI-based recruitment process (Amazon 2018) or AI-based
photocategorizationidentifyingablackpersonasagorilla(Google2015)).
5. AI—evenifinaweakform—isalreadyafacttodayanditrequiresareflective
handlingofthistechnology,sincethistechnologyhasenormousinnovativebut
also enormous destructive power. A sweeping demonization and rejection of
thistechnologyisjustasoutofplaceasanaivegoodfaiththatnothingnegative
willhappen(“Ihavenothingtohide”).
6. Thesocialchallengethatincreasinglydeterminesthewaywelivetogetherina
globalized, fast-moving world that is also threatened by its own over-
consumption of resources is that increasing complexity must remain manage-
able in a highly dynamic manner. Ethical understanding as a societal point of
reference for “good” (“desirable”) and “bad” (“intolerable”) will certainly
continuetoadapttodigitization,ashasalwaysbeenthecase.However,dueto
the acceleration in the digitized world, previous social-ethical correctives no
longer work or work too late. What is needed is a new basic understanding of
how to deal with the technical possibilities in society, and where the “no go
areas”lie.Adisinhibitedexploitationofalltechnicalpossibilitieswillsooneror
laterleadtosocialandecologicalcollapsewithhardlyassessableandcertainly
mostly irreversible consequences. This new basic understanding should take
into account the element of phenomenological evidence in order to support
credibilityandconfidenceinanAI-baseddecisionthatcannotbefullyanalyzed.
7. A competence is needed that enables the responsible use of the technology in
ordertomakeitusableinasociallypositivesense.
8. Strengths and weaknesses of us humans and AI are complementary: where AI
has very strong strengths (fast pattern recognition, detection of facts, and
provisionofevidence)humanstendtobelimited.Here,AIcansupporthumans
in their inadequacies in order to help them make decisions that are sustainable
forsociety.Usedinatargetedmanner,AIcanbemoreofablessingthanacurse:
inadditiontotechnicaloptimizations,whichultimatelyallleadtoefficientvalue
creation and thus resource conservation. AI plays a special role in social and
economicdecision-makingprocessesinordertokeeptheaforementionedcom-
plexityundercontrol.Incontrasttothis,onlyhumansintheirgreatdiversityare
by far the only ones capable of making final decisions with their cognitive
abilities, their socialization and permanent development and enormous adapt-
ability(e.g.,throughtheneuroplasticityofthebrain),theircuriosity,theirsense
ofresponsibility,andlastbutnotleasttheirsoul.
9. AI can and should provide exactly the evidence necessary to strengthen confi-
denceinhumandecisions.
10. Itisuptoustoshapetheworldinwhichwewanttolive.
Preface ix
The phenomenon of new technologies is by no means new. If we consider the
Collingridgedilemma(whichisdiscussedinmoredetailinSect.1.5.3),AIwithits
enormous(positiveandnegative)possibilitiesalsorepresentsapotentialthatwewill
only fully develop over time. However, in the case of an ethically and socially
unreflective and “carefree” approach, the undesirable characteristics may already
havemanifestedthemselvesasarealityinsuchawaythattheycannotberevisedor
only at socially unwanted expense. Accordingly, now that AI “merely” refers to
comparatively harmless applications around pattern recognition, it is high time to
criticallydealwiththefundamentalquestions.
Therefore, this book addresses “big” topics across the board and wants to offer
the readers an orientation in the sense of an introduction: Ethics—a fundamental
topicthathasalwayspreoccupiedpeople—beenplacedinthecontextnecessaryfor
AI. Pragmatic issues are especially considered. Digitization—already a very broad
field initself—is also presented inan overview, and approaches of AI with ethical
questions are shown. Furthermore, concrete approaches to consider appropriate
ethicalprinciplesinAI-basedsolutionsaredescribedandpragmaticthoughcompre-
hensiveroadmapforimplementationisproposed.
This book brings together the complex question of how technology can be
perceived as “good” in a cross-functional way, alternating between theory and
practice. To reflect the concepts with “real life,” concrete effects are illustrated
withtheoverarchingtopicof2020—theCOVID-19pandemiccrisis.Asdisruption
isanythingbutnew, famousand relevanthistorical examples areused likewise.In
thisrespect,academics,e.g.,fromhumanities,business,ortechnicaldisciplines,will
findthistobeofaddedvalueintheirrespectivefields,aswellaspractitionerswho
arelookingforanintroductiontothetopicandorientationforconcretequestionsand
assistance. The contributions in this book originate from authors covering a wide
fieldofexperiencesfromethicstotechnologyandbusinessfromdifferentindustries.
Part Igives a focusedunderstanding ofethics andtherelevantperspectives that
allows decent assessment for business managers utilizing AI technologies in a
sustainable manner. In particular, the shortcomings of each side, human and AI, is
beingaddressedandanoutlookofcomplementaryapproachessuchasan“integral
intelligence”isgiven.
PartIIfocusesonAIasenablerforsustainablemanagementinamorethanever
complexworld.Specifically,immanentshortcomingsofAItechnologyapproaches
are discussed and linked back to the ethical challenges and requirements of self-
disciplineinalgorithmdesignanddataanalysis.
PART III showcases practical examples from different industries and functions
suchasfinancialindustries,production,orhumantalentmanagementandillustrates
stimulatingapproachesofsustainableAIutilization.Finally,aconcretewayforward
on the required journey of ethical orientation, standards, and rule setting will be
provided,basedonlegitimacyinbusinessandcandorship.
Thisbookprojecttookalmostayearforfullrealization.Attheendof2019,my
Institutefor Compliance and Corporate Governance (“ICC”)initiated and hosted a
symposiumon“ArtificialIntelligenceandEthics”inCologne,Germany,withmajor
contributions from experts in the field. The fruitful discussions and challenging
x Preface
questions showed theneedfor capturing the wideaspectsof using technology ina
sensiblemannerinfavorofsociety.Iamveryhappythatthoughtleadersfollowed
myinvitationtocontributetotheproject.Inparticular,IwouldliketothankSusann
Spinner,CEOoftheCFASocietyGermany;MatthiasMüller-Wiegand,Vicepresi-
dentoftheRheinischeFachhochschuleKöln;andMatthiasGroß,TUMittelhessen,
fortheircontribution.Lastbutdefinitelynotleast,mythoroughthanksareaddressed
toCorryforinspiration,continuousmotivation,andinfinitepatience.
Cologne,Germany StefanH.Vieweg
October2020