DeepFest 2024: The imperative for responsible AI

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Generative AI (gen AI), a category of artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms that can generate new content based on existing data, is being touted as the next frontier for various industries. Backers of AI predict a productivity leap that will generate wealth and improve living standards.

Global consultancy firm PwC projected that AI-related economic impact could reach $15.7tn globally by 2030 – more than the combined output of China and India. Powering this growth optimism is the fact that nearly every industry from finance and healthcare to manufacturing and entertainment have embraced AI as part of its foreseeable strategy.

However, the speed at which AI technology is developing has also raised profound ethical concerns.

“The pace of technological advancement often outstrips the development of corresponding safety measures and regulatory frameworks,” Roman Yampolskiy, AI author and director at Cybersecurity Lab, University of Louisville said in an interview with DeepFest last December.

The World Economic Forum (WEF) lauded the transformative and productivity potential of AI but cautioned that increased use of the technology will inevitably lead to a higher rate of system failures.

Rethinking responsible AI 

The rapid rise of AI and the recent development of gen AI have created excitement and concern in equal measure. With AI increasingly becoming autonomous and evolving into a general-purpose technology, issues of control, safety, and accountability have been brought to the forefront.

Governments and regulatory bodies are working on AI-related policies and regulations to ensure responsible AI development and deployment. The GCC countries, the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, in particular, have been and are in the process of developing staged initiatives to foster AI creation and adoption through policy and regulation.

Speaking at Expand North Star in Dubai last October, Omar Sultan Al Olama, UAE’s Minister of State for Digital Economy, Artificial Intelligence and Remote Work Applications revealed that the UAE had launched a program in partnership with Oxford University to educate public officials on how to govern AI, how to audit AI systems and help explore use cases.

Similarly, the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) published the Implementing Regulations to the kingdom’s Personal Data Protection Law (PDPL) in September 2023. The framework introduced general principles and obligations on data controllers to include the adequacy of data transfers and mandatory compliance will begin in September 2024.

Globally, the European Union agreed on the technical details of the AI Act in February, the world’s first attempt to regulate the technology, as the bloc seeks to govern the fast-developing field. The UK is also investing more than $125m (GBP100m) to help regulators and universities tackle challenges around AI.

“Both AI developers, regulators and governments are making strides, but there’s still a considerable gap in ensuring AI is developed safely,” Yampolskiy said, adding that while current efforts are commendable, they need to be significantly scaled up to match the rapid evolution in AI capabilities.

Going forward, there are many milestones and moments to count on and despite the fear and concern around AI regulation, the exciting opportunities that AI brings cannot be discredited. The implementation of responsible AI can resolve complex ethical questions around AI deployments and investments, accelerate innovation, and realise increased value from the technology itself.

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