Imagine a future where artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing our lives – fairly! – a world where the transformative power of AI uplifts everyone, regardless of gender or background. This vision can only be realized by confronting and closing the gender gap in AI to ensure the technology is a tool of inclusion, not exclusion.
The ethics of AI are crucial because, despite its potential benefits, it can lead to significant harm, particularly for women and marginalized groups. If biases and discriminatory and exclusionary practices “built into” the underlying data sets are not identified and addressed, they will be perpetuated through the use of AI. As AI increasingly influences access to credit, employment and education, effective tools and approaches are needed to help policymakers design, develop and use AI ethically.
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) 2022 Global Fair AI Challenge invested in innovative approaches to help identify and address actual and potential gender bias within AI systems in global development contexts. The challenge aimed to increase prevention, identification, transparency, monitoring and accountability of AI systems so that their outputs do not produce gender inequitable outcomes.
To navigate the complexities of AI ethics, USAID has developed a AI Ethics Guide and one Checklist for AI Deploymentst as part of the Equitable AI Challenge, in collaboration with DAI Digital Frontiers, Women in Digital Transformation (WinDt Consulting), PIT Policy Lab, Itad and Athena Infonomics.
Navigating the AI Ethical Landscape
The USAID AI Ethics Guide and Checklist provides a robust framework for the ethical development and deployment of AI. The framework includes a set of guiding principles, a recommended approach for AI design and development, and a project tool for creating an AI deployment roadmap:
- Fundamental principles: fairness, accountability, confidentiality, safety and security: The guide addresses these principles holistically, with a focus on transparency, accountability and the right to privacy to ensure that AI systems are fair, secure and safe.
- Collaboration and multidisciplinary teams: AI ethics requires a wide range of experts, from an independent AI ethics team developing guidelines to forming diverse, multidisciplinary, skilled teams including data scientists and representatives from different sectors, gender experts and professionals with varied technical expertise. Collaboration among stakeholders promotes the development of comprehensive and more effective ethical AI systems.
- A roadmap for the ethical deployment of AI: The AI Deployment Checklist complements the AI Ethics Guide, providing a step-by-step process for assessing ethical implications at each stage of AI solution deployment projects.
AI Ethics Guide is a resource for policymakers across sectors seeking to understand the challenges, opportunities and risks of AI adoption. The guide includes a definition of AI, a discussion of ethical issues related to AI, and proposals for how these issues can be resolved. It also includes examples of ethical issues related to AI, approaches to resolving these issues, and relevant consideration questions.
THE AI Deployment Checklist is a tool to help decision-makers assess the ethical implications of AI projects and identify potential risks and mitigation strategies. The AI Checklist is a questionnaire designed to help assess and mitigate potentially harmful impacts associated with deploying an AI system.
The AI Checklist should be completed early in the design phase of a project using AI. The questionnaire contains 30 questions covering six areas: regulations, business processes, data, system design, decision-making tailored to each situation and context, and monitoring and evaluation. The paper also informs policymakers who are working to find a starting point for adopting AI systems responsibly.
Unlock potential: how to benefit from it
The transformative power of AI is undeniable, but it comes with ethical responsibilities. USAID’s AI Ethics Guide and Checklist helps organizations navigate the complexities of AI ethics, contributing to a more responsible and inclusive AI future.
Ethical AI is not an option: it is a necessity, and these resources provide the guidance needed to use AI in development responsibly.
- Advice: USAID’s AI Ethics Guide is a resource for policymakers and technical teams seeking to understand the challenges, opportunities, and risks of AI adoption.
- Control List: The AI Deployment Checklist is a practical step-by-step tool, ensuring that ethical considerations are integrated throughout the AI project lifecycle.
Want to learn more about how AI can bridge the digital gender divide? Explore it USAID AI Ethics Guide And AI Deployment Checklist!
By Women in digital transformation – WinDT advice
