Presidential committee lays out first ethical standards for AI

South Korea drew up its first-ever ethical standards for artificial intelligence, with a focus on humanity-centered technology.

On Wednesday, the government’s presidential committee on the “fourth industrial revolution approved the AI ethical standards, which were proposed by the Ministry of Science and ICT and the Korea Information Society Development Institute.

Under the main theme “AI for humanity,” the ethical standards recommend following three pillars when using AI: human dignity, public benefit and the rightful purpose of technology.

There are also 10 essential factors that need to be taken into account to realize the three pillars: human rights, privacy, diversity, infringement, pursuit of greater good, solidarity, data management, responsibility, safeness and transparency.

Although the ethical standards do not have legal obligations, they apply to all AI sectors from not only the government and public institutions, but also private companies and individuals.

In order to spread the ethical standards in the AI field, the Science Ministry plans to develop checklists and provide education for developers, suppliers and users.

“The AI ethical standards will serve as a starting point for our society to discuss and deliberate on the issue of AI ethics,” ICT Minister Choi Ki-young said. “We will try to make AI a platform that can function with its focus centered on people.”

By Kan Hyeong-woo (hwkan@heraldcorp.com)