Embedding responsibility in intelligent systems: from AI ethics to responsible AI ecosystems

Area of Science:

• Computer Science
• Ethics
• Sociology

Background:

• Intelligent systems offer benefits but pose social and ethical challenges.
• Current artificial intelligence (AI) ethics discourse often focuses on specific issues and mitigation strategies.
• The socio-technical nature of AI systems, often termed ecosystems, is frequently overlooked.

Purpose of the Study:

• To address the limitations of the current AI ethics discourse.
• To propose a framework for understanding "responsible AI ecosystems."
• To introduce the concept of meta-responsibility for higher-level ethical considerations in AI.

Main Methods:

• Conceptual analysis of AI ethics discourse.
• Development of the concept of meta-responsibility.
• Identification of characteristics for responsible AI ecosystems.

Main Results:

• The current AI ethics discourse is limited by its focus on specific issues.
• A novel perspective on AI ethics can be achieved by viewing AI as socio-technical ecosystems.
• Meta-responsibility offers a framework for evaluating and fostering responsible AI ecosystems.

Conclusions:

• A shift towards understanding AI as ecosystems is beneficial for ethical considerations.
• The concept of meta-responsibility provides a new lens for AI ethics.
• This approach offers practical insights for AI researchers and developers to reflect on ethical issues.