AI for society: creating AI that supports equality, transparency, and democracy

The Royal Society's artificial intelligence (AI) programme explores the frontiers of AI technologies, and their implications for individuals, communities, and society. As part of our programme of international science and policy dialogue about AI, last year we worked with the American Academy of Arts and Sciences to bring together leading researchers from across disciplines to consider the implications of AI for equality, transparency, and democracy. This blog gives some of the key points from discussions, which are summarised in more detail in the workshop discussions note (PDF). Today's AI technologies can help create highly accurate systems, which are able to automate sophisticated tasks. As these technologies progress, researchers and policymakers are grappling with questions about how well these technologies serve society's needs. Experience of previous waves of transformative technological change shows that, even when society has a good understanding of the issues new technologies present, it is challenging to create a common vision for the future, to set in place measures that align the present with that desired future, and to engage collective action in ways that help bring it into being.