Artificial Intelligence & Ethics: Addressing the Weaponization of AI
/Over the last few years, we’ve seen a wave of digital innovation, with several new and emerging technologies seeing wider adoption. There is perhaps no better example than AI technology, which has advanced profoundly in recent years, with innovations spanning many industries. Generative AI in particular has seen an impressive level of adoption, with 79% of respondents to a recent McKinsey survey saying they had at least some exposure to gen AI, while 22% said they used it regularly in their work.
As we continue to innovate and utilize this technology, it’s important that we start thinking about the ethics involved in its usage and how we can establish those ethics within the tech world. The concept of AI ethics is a multidisciplinary practice that aims to determine how to optimize the technology’s beneficial impact while reducing potential risks and adverse outcomes. It encompasses a wide range of issues, from data privacy and value alignment to transparency and explainability.
Given the sheer number of ethical conversations surrounding AI technologies at the moment, businesses cannot afford to adopt AI technology without also considering the possible ethical considerations. There are a number of different ways AI can be harmful if ethics aren’t at the forefront of its design, from instances of bias and discrimination across various intelligent systems to the way AI could disrupt certain industries and render some jobs obsolete. Yet perhaps the biggest immediate concern surrounding AI is the way it could be used as a tool for cyberwarfare.
Cybercriminals are already weaponizing generative AI to bolster social engineering attacks, using them to hack passwords, leak confidential information, and scam users across a number of platforms. Gen AI can automate these attack options and substantially lower the barrier of entry to attempt fraud and social engineering schemes. We’re even seeing gen AI tools being used for entirely new breaching techniques: a recent report highlighted how hackers can use ChatGPT to generate URLs, references, code libraries, and functions that do not exist within a dev’s system, spreading malicious packages without having to rely on more familiar techniques.
There are also concerns regarding how AI can be used toward political ends: AI-generated video, still images, and fundraising emails designed to influence voters are already being spread well ahead of the next presidential election, and many experts are predicting that AI technology will transform warfare in ways that places decision making outside of the hands of human leadership. Many experts in intelligence and technology have pointed out several ways in which AI could drive up the possibility of nuclear war, from potential algorithmic errors to outside interference from false-flag operations. U.S. military officials have noted the importance of establishing restraints on the use of AI technology and the Intelligence Community has made commitments to ethical AI design and development, but this only scratches the surface when it comes to AI risk mitigation.
This only covers some of the major points surrounding AI, its potential weaponization, and the need for ethical considerations to ensure it’s used responsibly. Yet there is still a lot more to know about the topic. I will be starting a new video series on AI and Ethics, where I will cover current regulations around the technology and how we can better weave ethics into AI going forward.
With a commitment to ethical principles and responsible utilization, AI has the ability to enhance our lives and make a positive difference in our communities. Together, let's continue to create a future where privacy, equity, and human values are prioritized and progress is achieved in perfect harmony with the needs of people.
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