Why Undergrads Need to Be Schooled in AI Ethics

The impact of Emerging Technologies is pervasive and will have an influence on our society, politics, environment, and culture. This clearly means that organizations, from healthcare and education to transportation and technology, and from the from the environment to entertainment, will be touching tens of millions, hundreds of millions, and billions of people in the coming years. Thus, understanding AI ethics for high school, undergraduate, and other academic areas is very important, regardless of the student’s major or area of study, because:

• Learn Widespread Impact of AI: It is no longer science fiction, so students need to understand the risks, dangers and ethical implications of this rapidly evolving landscape. There are lots of internet scams as noted in the articles “You could be next on the list of fraudsters”. What do you need to know? And young people may be targeted as Steven Kurutz for The New York Times says,

“Being digitally native doesn’t protect you. In fact, it makes you a target.”

So, as these emerging technologies continue to grow, there will be a need for leaders, so students with the right mindset and skills in ethics will take on the role of shaping the ethical pillars in this area. -Undersatnd Risks associated with AI: If AI development and deployment lack ethical considerations, it may lead to several risks around privacy, bias, and fairness. Learning to identify these risks allows students to design and use AI systems responsibly. One of the examples is understanding how AI handles data, which allows students to advocate for responsible data collection and mitigate algorithmic bias.

• Get ready as the Future workforce: To design, develop, and implement responsible AI, teach students to understand ethical reasoning and critical thinking skills. These students can come to the workforce with ethical principles in mind, minimizing harm and aligning with human values.
• Bridge Ethics Gap: AI development has lagged behind in fields like law and medicine; thus, having formal AI ethics courses can bridge this gap and prepare the future workforce. So, what exactly should students be learning?

Learn more about Training option in Responsible AI ![AI ethics for the academic programss] (/images/students learn AI.png)

Share your thoughts and experience on AI Ethics programs, if you have completed one or planning to enroll.