Tackling Bias in AI and Promoting Responsible Research and Innovation: Insights from Discussions with Different Stakeholders

Abstract

Responsible research and innovation is critical when it comes to AI and Big Data technologies, and their integration in society. Engaging different stakeholders in the dialog on how to address the ethical challenges of AI and tackle AI bias is fundamental for finding viable solutions that would ensure the alignment of AI with core ethical values and would support individual and societal wellbeing. This chapter presents data from two qualitative studies that took place a few years apart, each under the umbrella of a different European project, namely the EU Horizon 2020 COMPASS project (2016–2019) and the EU Horizon 2020 SHERPA project (2018–2021). The aim of these studies was to capture different stakeholder views on AI, Big Data and Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI), with a particular focus on the dimension of ethics. While the COMPASS data collection focused on the responsible use of emerging technologies in specific sectors, i.e., healthcare and nanotechnology, the SHERPA data collection focused on the specific technologies themselves, i.e., AI and Big Data. Thirty Industry leaders, from the healthcare and nanotechnology sectors across Europe, participated in in-depth interviews, in the context of COMPASS. For SHERPA, six focus groups (N = 49, in total) were conducted that focused on discussing proposed guidelines for the responsible development and use of such technologies as well as requirements for AI regulation in Europe. The interviews and focus groups featured a broad range of stakeholders from different sectors, such as technology experts and stakeholders, industry leaders, technology practitioners and social scientists. The projects aimed to capture different perspectives and varying expertise related to the aims of the projects. The wide range of perspectives is important to capture in order to understand how the implementation of smart information systems in different sectors impacts society and business. Interestingly enough, juxtaposing the results from the two data collection phases revealed some important common recommendations, highlighting the role of Education and Regulation, in moving forward with responsible and ethical development and operational use of emerging technologies such as AI and Big Data.