The 'A' in AI needs to be for accountability

When we think about the blockers to adoption of AI, one can name several issues. However, none of these issues is as significant as that of accountability i.e. Accountability of the insights, predictions, and classifications served by the AI. Traditionally, enterprises and the business world operate through complex supply chains that have accountability baked in through buyer and supplier relationships. The buyer demands a service or product, pays for it and the supplier is then held accountable to deliver that promised product/service to the buyer within established quality criteria that have been mutually agreed upon by the buyer and supplier. Internally, enterprises have organization structures where are optimized to ensure that for every promised product or service, there are people who have been identified as accountable for the delivery of the product/service to either internal or external buyers according to the established guidelines.