BackBalancing AI's risks

Balancing AI's risks

What Ethics Can Say on Artificial Intelligence: Insights from a Systematic Literature Review

Giarmoleo et al. (2024)

Sub-category

Risk Domain

7AI System Safety, Failures & Limitations

AI systems that fail to perform reliably or effectively under varying conditions, exposing them to errors and failures that can have significant consequences, especially in critical applications or areas that require moral reasoning.

"This category constitutes more than 16% of the articles and focuses on addressing the potential risks associated with AI systems. Given the ubiquity of AI technologies, these articles explore the implications of AI risks across various contexts linked to design and unpredictability, military purposes, emergency procedures, and AI takeover."(p. 11)

Entity— Who or what caused the harm

Human

Due to a decision or action made by humans

AI system

Due to a decision or action made by an AI system

Other

Due to some other reason or is ambiguous

Intent— Whether the harm was intentional or accidental

Intentional

Due to an expected outcome from pursuing a goal

Unintentional

Due to an unexpected outcome from pursuing a goal

Other

Without clearly specifying the intentionality

Timing— Whether the risk is pre- or post-deployment

Pre-deployment

Occurring before the AI is deployed

Post-deployment

Occurring after the AI model has been trained and deployed

Other

Without a clearly specified time of occurrence

Supporting Evidence (4)

"Design faults and unpredictability (9.2%). A key concern within this group revolves around design faults, in particular new processes to enhance the safety of AI systems. For instance, Siafakas (2021) investigates innovative procedures for AI scientists, while Donia and Shaw (2021) examine the role that co-designing plays in tackling ethical challenges posed by AI in healthcare. They assess the effectiveness of co-designing in managing these challenges and highlight potential pitfalls."

"Military and security purposes (3.8%). This group concerns the deployment of AI for military applications. Taddeo et al. (2021) present an ethical framework for AI use in defense, emphasizing transparency, human responsibility, and reliable AI systems. Mathew and Mathew (2021) study the ethical dilemma of deploying autonomous weapon systems in warfare and the significance of human oversight in preventing civilian casualties. Another research line explores normative and social considerations linked to this issue. Sari and Celik (2021) provide a legal evaluation of AI-based lethal weapon system attacks, addressing accountability and responsibility"

Emergency procedures: "This theme revolves around preparing for emergencies in AI systems, specifically focusing on strategies, ethical considerations, and practical measures to ensure swift and effective responses in unforeseen circumstances."