AI demands tough ethical questions

South African enterprises will need to make complex ethical choices about how they leverage artificial intelligence (AI) over the coming years as lawmakers and regulators struggle to keep pace with the speed at which the technology is maturing and with the rate of adoption among local organisations. That's the word from Tarsus Technology Solutions managing director, Mike Rogers, who says that the wide-ranging social and economic potential of AI means that companies cannot treat it merely as another software tool. They should also examine how it will affect their customers, employees and the wider society in which they operate. Says Rogers: "We anticipate that AI will become a foundational technology for most companies within the next five years, one with as much disruptive potential as the Internet and the smartphone. Given its potential impact on employment, consumer rights and the wider economy, companies need to take a proactive stance on the ethical issues AI raises. "If business does not take the initiative, we could see the promulgation of heavy-handed yet belated laws and regulations that hamper South African companies' ability to use AI for competitive advantage.