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Domagala

Natalia

17:00

10 March

Year

2021

MS Teams code: hvpqcqk

Lecture is open

Ethics is no longer optional: moving from tech dystopias to responsible tech futures

Ethics is no longer optional in a world where technology, politics and economics are impossible to disentangle. We are living through the birth of a new era of extraordinary technological advancements that will fundamentally change the way we live, work, and interact; this presents both an opportunity and a warning. The online world has morphed with our offline reality and has begun to shape it, creating as much promise as peril. This lecture will cover the risks that this new status quo presents, including examples of biased artificial intelligence, algorithms that reinforce harmful stereotypes and produce discriminatory results, and real-world implications of technologies. Following the analysis of these tech dystopias, we will focus on finding solutions. The lecture will provide a set of practical recommendations and give an overview of tools and methods to build responsible tech tools. It will prompt students to reflect on the future and the long-term impact of technology on our society and humanity overall.

Lecture overview

During this lecture, students will gain an understanding of the negative implications of biases in artificial intelligence and algorithmic tools facilitating decision making in a variety of sectors. They will learn to consider all potentially negative and often unintended consequences (‘what is the worst that can happen’) from the very beginning of every tech-related project, and familiarize themselves with techniques helpful in questioning and examining projects from an ethical perspective. The lecture will provide a set of data and AI ethics tools and guides that students can use in their work, and offer practical advice on innovating responsibly. It will also present a set of provocations on the wider role of technology in society for students to reflect on. 

Natalia Domagala

AI & Data Ethics and Transparency GDS. Formerly policy DCMS & MSc in Local Economic Development LSE Geography.

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