Optimizing logistics, data research, detecting frauds, creating art, and providing translations, are a few of the things that intelligent machine systems are able to do and transform our lives for the better. Our lives are being completely transformed every day for the better by artificial intelligence. As these systems become more capable, our world becomes more efficient and, consequently, richer.

Many tech giants like Amazon, Facebook, Microsoft, IBM, and Alphabet, as well as entrepreneurs and greats such as Elon Musk, and Mark Zuckerberg, believe that now is the right time to talk about the nearly boundless landscape of artificial intelligence. 

However, there are more ethical issues with artificial intelligence that need to be considered before it completely takes over our lives. Continue reading this article as we are going to discuss the ethical issues of artificial intelligence and how to resolve them. 

Ethical issues in Artificial intelligence: Unveiling the complexities 

As artificial intelligence continues to embed itself deeply into various sectors, it brings forth a myriad of ethical dilemmas that deserve meticulous attention. Let’s explore some of the most prominent ethical issues that arise in the realm of AI: 

What are the ethical issues of artificial intelligence?

• Artificial Intelligence raises stakes for unemployment 

The majority of working-class people spend most of their waking hours working just to have enough money to keep themselves and their families alive. That’s how the world works, right? There is a hierarchy in this world where everyday work, irrespective of the type of job, is necessary to survive in this harsh world. 

Imagine that AI successfully takes over the job market and makes it possible to get the work done in a matter of minutes. The working class won’t be working and will be unemployed. 

Let’s take an example here, the trucking industry or the cab driving industry, where millions of people are employed in the United States of America alone. If Elon Musk’s Tesla is able to deliver on its promise of offering true self-driving cars or driving self-driving trucks and they become widely available within the next decade, then what is going to happen to those millions of people?  I do believe that self-driving cars can reduce human errors and cause fewer accidents, but the important point we need to consider here is that the vast implications of AI can disrupt the job market at every level and cause a massive surge in unemployment.  

• Transparency and Accountability 

The opaqueness of AI algorithms and decision-making processes raises significant concerns about transparency and accountability. As AI systems become more intricate, understanding the logic behind their decisions becomes increasingly challenging. Such a lack of transparency can lead to unjust outcomes, especially in critical areas like finance, healthcare, and criminal justice. Striking the right balance between protecting proprietary technology and providing transparency is a major ethical consideration. 

• Biases and Fairness dilemmas with artificial intelligence

AI systems are only as unbiased as the data they are trained on. Biases present in the training data can perpetuate and even amplify existing societal biases. For example, biased data can lead to discriminatory outcomes in hiring practices, law enforcement, and lending decisions. What if a talented and worthy candidate is looking for a job but the resume submitted by the candidate does not pass the AI resume screening? the candidate will lose the job opportunity, and this is only due to the fact that the candidate did not have the right keywords or was good according to the data given to the AI. The challenge lies in identifying and rectifying these biases to ensure fair and equitable results for all individuals. 

• Ethical considerations in artificial intelligence: AI creates Art 

In the year 2016, a Rembrandt painting, “The Next Rembrandt,” was designed by a computer and created by a 3D printer, exactly 351 years after the painter’s death. To achieve such technological advancement, 346 Rembrandt paintings were analyzed pixel by pixel and upscaled by deep learning algorithms to create a unique database. With the help of a deep learning algorithm, every detail of Rembrandt’s artistic identity could then be identified and captured, thus setting the foundation for an algorithm capable of creating an unprecedented masterpiece. To bring the painting to life, a 3D printer recreated the texture of brushstrokes and layers of paint on the canvas for breathtaking results that could even trick the original artist. 

But the real question we need to ask here is, Who can be designated as the artist? The company that orchestrated the project, the engineers, the algorithm, or Rembrandt himself? 

What would happen when AI is fully capable of recognizing works of art itself? If a human author is replaced by machines and algorithms, to what extent can copyrights be implemented at all? Should an algorithm be recognized as an author, and enjoy the same rights as an artist? 

To answer all these questions, we need to differentiate between the work done by humans and AI. The work of art produced by AI requires a new definition of what it means to be an “author”, and it should be done in order to do justice to the creative work of both the “original” author and the algorithms and technologies that produced the work of art itself. 

• Autonomy and decision making 

AI-driven decision-making processes can blur the lines of accountability when things go wrong. Autonomous systems making important critical choices, such as self-driving cars and medical diagnosis, bring to light questions about who is responsible in the event of an error. Ethical considerations include defining the level of human intervention required and establishing fail-safe mechanisms to prevent catastrophic outcomes. 

The Path Ahead 

In conclusion, the growth of artificial intelligence presents humanity with immense potential and equally significant ethical challenges. By acknowledging and addressing these ethical issues head-on, we can harness the power of AI for the betterment of society while safeguarding the values and principles we hold dear.