Use AI Ethically To Build Relationships, Not Data Warehouses

As technology evolves at a rapid rate – especially technology that incorporates artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities – so too does the potential for bias, disconnect, misuse of data, and the automation of impersonal actions or decisions. With the vast amounts of data collected, stored, and exchanged, capitalist societies risk the commoditization of personal data at the expense of the individual, instead of using personal data to foster valuable individual and societal relationships. In business, AI and machine learning are increasingly used as part of smart systems that analyze large amounts of data to identify trends that will benefit the business, like capturing more consumers and increasing profits, as opposed to building long-lasting relationships. AI shouldn't only be focused on the business' bottom line. In fact, a recent AI and empathy survey by our company of 6,000 consumers from North America, the United Kingdom, Australia, Japan, Germany, and France found that 69% of consumers think businesses have a moral obligation to do what's right for the consumer, beyond what is legally required.