'Human Rights' May Help Shape Artificial Intelligence in 2019

Ethics and accountability will be among the most significant challenges for artificial intelligence (AI) in 2019, according to a survey of researchers at Georgia Tech's College of Computing. In response to an email query about AI developments that can be expected in 2019, most of the researchers – whether talking about machine learning (ML), robotics, data visualizations, natural language processing, or other facets of AI – touched on the growing importance of recognizing the needs of people in AI systems. "In 2019, I hope we will see AI researchers and practitioners start to frame the debate about proper and improper uses of artificial intelligence and machine learning in terms of human rights," said Associate Professor Mark Riedl. "More and more, interpretability and fairness are being recognized as critical issues to address to ensure AI appropriately interacts with society," said Ph.D. student Fred Hohman. Questions about the rights of end users of AI-enabled services and products are becoming a priority, but Riedl said more is needed.