As AI becomes more deeply embedded in our everyday lives, it is incumbent upon all of us to be thoughtful and responsible in how we apply it to benefit people and society. A principled approach to responsible AI will be essential for every organization as this technology matures. As technical and product leaders look to adopt responsible AI practices and tools, there are several challenges including identifying the approach that is best suited to their organizations, products and market. Today, at our Azure event, Put Responsible AI into Practice, we are pleased to share new resources and tools to support customers on this journey, including guidelines for product leaders co-developed by Microsoft and Boston Consulting Group (BCG). While these guidelines are separate from Microsoft's own Responsible AI principles and processes, they are intended to provide guidance for responsible AI development through the product lifecycle.

Implementing AI responsibly implies adopting AI in a manner that's ethical, transparent, and accountable as well as consistent with laws, regulations, norms, customer expectations, and organizational values. "Responsible AI" promises to guard against the use of biased data or algorithms, providing an assurance that automated decisions are justified and explainable. According to Boston Consulting Group (BCG), less than half of enterprises that achieve AI at scale have fully mature, responsible AI deployments. Organizations' AI programs commonly neglect the dimensions of fairness and equity, social and environmental impact, and human-AI cooperation, BCG analysts found. The Responsible AI Institute (RAI) is among the consultancies aiming to help companies realize the benefits of AI implemented thoughtfully.