Ethics in artificial intelligence and machine learning: The importance of opening the dialogue for new processes at your organisation

This paper aims to provide an introduction to artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML). It also seeks to explain some of the countless ethical ramifications that the application of these technologies involves and about which companies need to be made aware. The state of technology in today’s world demands that at almost any level in an organisation, some awareness of the scale of the role of technology is advisable. Having an inkling of the scale of technology is a starting point for understanding the gravity of the impact it has on our everyday lives and the how and why of its ethical implications. Ultimately, as a society, we need to start considering workable frameworks to address such issues at the front-end of this technology creation. The ethics of AI/ML touches all facets of our lives and therefore also all aspects of society, including private industry, government and religion. Despite that all of society needs to be concerned with the impact of AI/ML, this paper will deal only with how the corporate sector might start to develop frameworks to address the weighty issues. Much like the industrial revolution required workers to gain new skills, AI/ML will also require business personnel to adopt new skills and, probably more importantly, new attitudes towards technology and how it should shape the world.