Tech & AI LIVE: Gen AI – Ethical AI Panel

December 05, 2024

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Leading executives in technology and AI took to the stage at Tech & AI LIVE: Gen AI to discuss ethical considerations when adopting AI

Ethical AI took centre stage at Tech & AI LIVE: Gen AI with a compelling panel discussion featuring:

Sachin Agrawal, UK Managing Director at Zoho
Bobby Blumofe, Executive Vice President and CTO at Akamai
Deepak Paramanand, Director of Artificial Intelligence at JPMorgan Chase

The session delved into the most pressing ethical concerns in AI and provided practical strategies for navigating this complex landscape.

Ethical AI Panel - Tech & AI LIVE: Gen AI 2024

Identifying key ethical concerns

The panel kicks off with a focus on the current ethical challenges in AI. Bobby urges a shift in attention from hypothetical ‘doomsday’ scenarios to real-world ‘bad day’ issues.

“AI is already being misused to deceive and humiliate people,” he says, referencing its role in spreading misinformation and bias on social platforms.

Deepak highlights the far-reaching implications of AI failures.

“AI is a disruptive technology with no easy way to backtrack mistakes,” he warns, comparing its precision requirements to those in medicine.

Sachin frames the challenges around trust and compliance, citing misinformation, bias, and data privacy as key hurdles.

Bobby Blumofe, Executive Vice President and CTO at Akamai

Balancing innovation with ethics

As the discussion progresses, the panel addresses how the race to innovate can conflict with ethical standards. Deepak reflects on his time at Microsoft, advocating for responsible AI principles.

“Guardrails, even if cumbersome, are essential to ensure that AI serves humanity responsibly,” he says.

Bobby emphasises the dangers of ‘AI-washing’, where organisations misuse AI in their haste to adopt it.

“Slow down and implement guiding principles. Oversight is critical to avoiding misuse, even with good intentions,” he advises.

Sachin underscores the importance of governance and practical tools, such as shadowing AI models with human oversight to assess accuracy.

“Combining ethical principles with actionable frameworks ensures the benefits of AI are maximised while minimising risks,” he says.

Sachin Agrawal, UK Managing Director at Zoho

Regulation and transparency: Foundations of ethical AI

The role of regulation features prominently in the conversation. Bobby distinguishes between regulating technology and regulating its use, advocating for a focus on the latter.

“We need frameworks that address the misuse of AI, which is a growing concern,” he notes.

Sachin points to gaps in existing regulations, especially concerning data ethics.

“The ethical use of data remains under-addressed. Regulation should ensure that AI models respect data privacy and confidentiality,” he says, citing examples of B2B contexts where misuse of proprietary data could lead to competitive disadvantages.

On transparency, Deepak proposes an innovative solution: integrated ethical environments that embed compliance checks into the development process.

“Imagine a system that automatically audits your AI model against ethical principles as you build it,” he suggests.

Deepak Paramanand, Director of Artificial Intelligence at JPMorgan Chase

Bridging the human and technological divide

The panel also explores how the human element impacts AI ethics. Bobby highlights the importance of AI literacy, comparing it to the digital literacy movement of the last decade.

“AI is indistinguishable from magic for many people. Education is critical to dispel misconceptions and manage expectations,” he says.

Deepak and Sachin echo the need for better understanding, with Sachin pointing out that organisations often lack digital maturity—a prerequisite for effective AI adoption.

“Streamlining data and processes is essential before AI can deliver meaningful results,” he explains.

Looking to the future: Ethical challenges ahead

As the discussion concludes, the panellists share their predictions for the future challenges of ethical AI:

Deepak: Warns against complacency. “We must demand more from AI and not accept its shortcomings as the norm,” he urges.
Sachin: Highlights the risk of overinvestment without foundational readiness. “Businesses need to balance AI’s potential with strong privacy frameworks,” he says.
Bobby: Calls for education to combat AI hype cycles. “Don’t be misled by spectacular demos. Understand what AI can and cannot do,” he advises.