"An air of urgency" – why we need ethical governance of AI

By the end of 2019, it is estimated that there will be more than 5 billion mobile phone users in the world -- more people than have access to a flushing toilet. That figure emphasizes the extent to which technology affects humanity and gives us an idea of how many people are interacting with algorithms that fall under the umbrella of artificial intelligence. While this technology can be valuable and beneficial, increasing and high-profile instances of misuse have seriously undermined public trust. Even permitted usage, such as the application of AI and algorithmic decision-making to real-world outcomes such as insurance, immigration and medicine, can lead to highly problematic outcomes. In 2018, Amazon's recruitment algorithm -- built to ensure that Amazon was finding the people most likely to do well at the company -- made headlines for deselecting women's CVs.