Details
Other

Moral Issues of Artificial Intelligence 

 

Artificial intelligence (AI) has become an integral part of our daily lives, from virtual assistants on our phones to self-driving cars. As AI becomes more advanced, it presents both opportunities and challenges that raise important questions concerning the moral issues of artificial intelligence.

Therefore, this article will focus on the morality of AI by interpreting real-life examples of morally correct and incorrect uses of AI. Following this, there will be a section on its advantages and disadvantages. 

 

Jump ahead by clicking on the corresponding link to each section: 

 

1. Morally Correct Uses of Artificial Intelligence 

2. Morally Incorrect Uses of Artificial Intelligence 

3. Advantages

4. Disadvantages

 

Continue reading to learn more. To learn more about how AI is impacting the marketing industry and how it can be used as a beneficial tool, contact the marketing professionals at ProfitWorks today.  

 

1. Morally Correct Uses of Artificial Intelligence 

 

Crime Prevention 

To some degree, AI can be used for crime prevention

 

Don't worry, RoboCop isn't going to be returning. However, when considering the moral issues of artificial intelligence, there are some beneficial ways in which AI is being used to prevent crime. 

For example, AI is already being used to analyze video footage from surveillance cameras to detect suspicious behaviour or activity.

AI can also be used to detect fraud, such as credit card fraud or identity theft, by analyzing large amounts of financial data. 

Furthermore, AI can be used to detect and prevent cybercrime, such as hacking or phishing attacks. It can also analyze network traffic to detect suspicious activity or to identify vulnerabilities in systems. To find out why cybersecurity is important, check out one of our recent articles. 

 

Mental Health Assessments

AI has the potential to be used to detect whether or not people are struggling with mental health issues by analyzing various types of data, such as: 

  • Text analysis
  • Voice analysis 
  • Behavioural analysis

By studying these types of data, AI can analyze things like social media posts, emails and chat logs to detect signs of poor mental health. In 2020, for example, AI was used to analyze Facebook data to predict mental illness and this method was proven to be effective in mental illness screening. 

Similarly, AI can also detect changes in speech patterns indicative of depression or anxiety.

As for behavioural analysis, AI can be used to track activity levels or sleep patterns which have an influence on one's mental health.

 

Humanitarian Aid 

  Morally correct uses of AI also occur within the realm of humanitarian aid

 

AI is increasingly being used in humanitarian aid to improve the speed, accuracy, and effectiveness of relief efforts. AI is being used in humanitarian aid in several ways, including: 

  • Disaster response
  • Disaster control 
  • Refugee support
  • Food security 
  • Education 

As an example, let's focus on disaster response. In this case, AI can be used to analyze satellite imagery to identify areas that have been affected by natural disasters such as hurricanes, earthquakes, or floods. This information can then be used to direct relief efforts and allocate resources more efficiently. 

Or, in the case of food security, AI can be used to analyze weather data and crop yields to predict food shortages and to identify areas that are at risk of famine. Consequentially, food aid can be distributed efficiently to those who need it most. 

To learn more about how AI can be used in morally correct ways, check out the article "Using AI For Good: A New Data Challenge To Use AI To Triage Natural Disaster Aerial Imagery" by Kalev Leetaru. 

 

2. Morally Incorrect Uses of Artificial Intelligence 

 

Deepfakes  

One of the main moral issues of artificial intelligence arises out of the creation of deepfakes, which are manipulated videos that appear real. For example, AI can copy the face of an individual and create a video of them talking.

To better understand what deepfakes are, watch the following video: 

 

Watch the video above - a deepfake of Morgan Freeman 

 

As you can imagine, this presents many issues. For example, deepfakes can be used to spread fake news and misinformation, which can have serious consequences.

Therefore, it is important that deepfakes are regulated and that people are educated about their potential risks.

 

Job Losses 

Consider the potential of AI to stop rising unemployment rates  

 

Another disadvantage that is gaining a lot of traction, is the potential for job loss. It is no secret that AI can perform some tasks that humans can. As a result, unemployment rates may be on the rise.

Thus, it is critical that organizations consider the impact AI can have on their workforce and implement tactics to minimize the potential for job losses. 

 

Scammers 

AI can also be used by scammers to carry out fraud and other illegal activities. For example, AI can be used to create convincing phishing emails or fake websites.

More recently, there has also been an increase in AI phone scammers. Check out this article by Daily Dot where an AI convinced a woman that her brother was in danger. In that particular case, AI was used to recover an audio log of the brother's voice online and create a very convincing phone call. Scammers are starting to make phone calls to individuals while portraying a loved one in need. Once the caller is convinced that the individual on the line is real, they are often persuaded to send money and/or other resources.

With developments in AI come new possibilities for misuse, and we need to be aware of these risks and take measures to protect against them. Implementing measures to improve your cybersecurity will help combat AI scams. 

 

3. Advantages 

 

Increased Efficiency

One of the main benefits of AI is increased efficiency

 

AI is capable of performing tasks faster than humans because it can process large amounts of data in a short period of time.

In fact, "61% of employees say AI helps to improve their work productivity". 

In return, this can help organizations save time and money by reducing operational costs. AI can also perform repetitive tasks with increased accuracy, which reduces the chances and effects of human error.

Therefore, instead of being hesitant to use AI, individuals should consider how it can be used as a tool, like the internet or the calculator, to benefit them.   

 

Innovation

No matter what industry, business owners are always looking for ways to innovate. This is especially true when considering the marketing industry, whether it is looking for innovative ways to improve your home page or creative ways to build trust with your customers, people are constantly trying to innovate. 

Given AI’s growing capabilities, it has the potential to drive innovation in several industries. As was discussed, AI has the ability to increase productivity which in turn increases the ability of humans to innovate. 

AI also has the ability to: 

  • Help businesses develop new products and services
  • Help businesses improve their products and services
  • Help guide businesses toward new opportunities and markets 
  • Help businesses discover patterns within sets of data 

Ultimately, the potential of AI is outstanding and it is crucial that business owners discover ways in which it can benefit them while still considering the moral issues of artificial intelligence. 

 

Better Decision Making

AI can analyze and interpret the data for you!

 

One of the main advantages of AI is the fact that it can analyze vast amounts of data to make accurate and informed decisions. More specifically, it can accurately analyze patterns and predict outcomes which are useful in making business decisions.

One clear example of AI revolutionizing decision-making is the use of AI to review and interpret CT scans in the healthcare industry. Doctors often struggle to keep up with the demand for CT scans and they work long hours. However, a recent rise in the use of AI in the healthcare industry has allowed doctors to simply review the data and provide a more accurate diagnosis, as the AI does the bulk of the work. This innovative process eliminates the chances of human error and increases efficiency. 

Therefore, AI allows businesses to make decisions based on facts and not just intuition, which can improve their chances of success.

 

Improved Customer Service

Another advantage of AI is improved customer service. I am sure we have all come into contact with an AI-powered chatbot.

As a matter of fact, "15% of all customer service interactions globally were estimated to have been fully powered by AI in 202."

These forms of AI are beneficial because they can handle multiple queries at once, and they can provide answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) in a timely manner. In return, these serve businesses by helping them save money on customer service staff and improving their customer experience.

This is not to say that customer service workers hold no value. Instead, real-life workers can be used more efficiently to answer more in-depth questions rather than mere FAQs.

 

4. Disadvantages

 

Lack of Creativity

One of the main disadvantages of AI is that it often lacks creativity

 

As we know, AI is good at performing tasks that involve data analysis and pattern recognition. However, it lacks creativity, also known as the “human touch”, which is an extremely important aspect of several jobs.

AI struggles in the realm of creativity in many different ways, for example: 

  • AI struggles to anticipate when a pattern will change 
  • AI cannot differentiate between a significant pattern and an insignificant pattern 
  • AI fails to draw connections between two unrelated patterns 
  • AI lacks social intelligence 

Given this, AI cannot replace artists or writers who rely on creativity for their work. Instead, AI is best used to replace repetitive, low-skilled jobs such as assembly line work. 

 

Bias & Discrimination 

AI systems can lead to bias and discrimination in several ways. 

AI systems are trained on data sets, and the data in those sets can be biased. If the data used to train the system is biased, then the AI will inherit those biases. For instance, if an AI system is trained on data that reflects discrimination and prejudice against certain groups, the system may learn and replicate that bias. 

For example, if an AI hiring algorithm is introduced that favours candidates from certain schools or backgrounds this may discriminate against those from other backgrounds or socioeconomic statuses. 

Furthermore, AI may also have incomplete context regarding certain issues such as social issues. Due to this, AI may not take into account certain factors that could lead to biased outcomes. 

Overall, it is important that we understand that AI systems are only as unbiased as the data used to train them and the people who develop them. 

A lot of research, for instance, has been conducted on how AI can deepen racial and economic inequities. Check out this article by ACLU to learn more.

 

Inaccurate Information 

Similarly, AI is also capable of producing inaccurate information due to several reasons, such as: 

  • Limited data 
  • Biased data 
  • lack of context
  • Incorrect assumptions 

Remember: AI systems rely on data to learn and make predictions. Therefore, if the data they are using is limited or incomplete, the system may produce inaccurate results. This is especially true if an AI system is trained on a small sample size that does not represent the general population. 

 

Harmful Instructions 

Be careful - AI may provide you with harmful instructions 

 

Many people consider AI a revolutionary tool and overlook the fact that it is capable of doing great harm. 

Sometimes, an AI may provide instructions that are harmful, or even dangerous. This may be due to the AI using biased or inaccurate data, or it could be due to: 

  • An adversarial attack from a human
  • A lack of understanding of the consequences of AI

AI systems can be vulnerable to attacks that are designed to manipulate their instructions. For example, an attacker could inject malicious code into an AI system, causing it to give harmful instructions. To learn more about what adversarial attacks are and how to stop them, view this article by VentureBeat.

Furthermore, AI systems may not be fully capable of understanding the full consequences of their actions. As you can imagine, this can lead to extreme deviance. For instance, if an AI system is designed to maximize profits for a company, it may make decisions that negatively impact the environment or society in general.  

 

Black Box Issues 

AI systems are often referred to as "black boxes," because their internal workings can be difficult to interpret or understand.

As you can imagine, this lack of transparency and understanding can lead to several issues, including: 

  • Lack of trust 
  • Bias and discrimination
  • Inaccuracy 
  • Unintended consequences 
  • Accountability issues 

Overall, is it critical that methods for increasing transparency and interpretability are developed in order to combat some of these disadvantages. 

 

Final Thoughts 

If you are pondering the moral issues of artificial intelligence, it is important that you realize, that like most things in life, AI has its advantages and disadvantages. As society continues to introduce new forms of AI, it is critical that individuals not only consider how to use AI to benefit them but also the potential risks AI poses. If you are concerned about AI and how it may be impacting your industry, contact us today to learn more.

 

 

 

 

What Our Customers Are Saying... 

"My experience with Profitworks Marketing was very positive. They put together a very clear and strategic marketing plan. They helped me get more focused and come up with a solid plan that will take my business to the next level. Thank you!" - Krystle Marriott

To read more reviews, click here.