Implementing AI ethics: the VPCIO model

Abstract

Due to the development and use of artificial intelligence (AI) systems, there is a need for normative guidance on AI technology. Building on reasonably shared and systematized ethical values and principles (Martin et al. in Comparing AI ethics and AI regulation: ethical values and principles and the case of well-being, beneficence and sustainability, In: Müller, Dung, Dewey, Löhr (Eds.) Philosophy of artificial intelligence: the state of art, synthese library, Springer, Berlin, forthcoming), we aim to provide a framework for implementing ethics in AI systems. The research question in this paper is how to transfer values and principles to an AI system in a way that is understandable and evaluable for users, stakeholders, or an oversight body. Therefore, we work out how to translate values and principles into more concrete norms that can be implemented by the developer and monitored by the executive. Based on our systematization, we extend the so-called VCIO model, where VCIO stands for values, criteria, indicators and observables, as presented by Hallensleben et al. (From principles to practice—an interdisciplinary framework to operationalise AI ethics. VDE, Bertelsmann Stiftung, Frankfurt a. M./Gütersloh. https://www.ai-ethics-impact.org, 2020). Our contribution includes modifications to the model and, most importantly, the addition of principles. Building on this methodology, we present a model that is highly acceptable, the VPCIO model. We developed and evaluated the VPCIO for two case studies. The main case study is an AI-assisted robot used for reconnaissance of radiological hazards (based on a BMBF funded project, entitled KIARA (https://www.itas.kit.edu/english/projects_hill22_kiara.php)). The second case study is about an AI system in an entertaining context, namely to swap faces. Implementing the ethical aspects in these cases into the VPCIO model results in an indicator system that illustrates how ethical aspects can be transferred to an AI system in an understandable way.