The Ministry of Science and Technology yesterday unveiled guidelines for the research and development of artificial intelligence (AI).

“AI research and development must be people-oriented,” Minister of Science and Technology Chen Liang-gee (陳良基) said, asking that research teams retain the source codes and AI training materials so that the work can be traced.

The complexity of AI means that it is vulnerable to misuse, which countries are seeking to mitigate by establishing standards for its development, he said. In particular, because AI technology systems learn from data, they can perpetuate and amplify human biases, he said.

Due to its role in promoting the research and development of technology, the ministry felt it was imperative to set up guidelines for AI, Chen said.

The core of AI technology is its people-oriented nature, so researchers must safeguard human rights and preserve human dignity, he said.

The guideline’s eight criteria emphasize promoting shared benefits and common well-being, he said, adding that researchers should aim to develop systems that are free of discrimination.

AI tools should support human policies, and people using the tool should always retain control of it and be able to take over decisionmaking, Chen added.

Personal privacy — a challenge in AI development because the technology derives its functionality from accessing data — must also be protected, he said.

Development must be transparent and traceable, with AI tools designed in such a way that ordinary people can understand how to maintain control, Chen said.

AI technologies often have an unintentional “black box” aspect, where the inner workings are not generally understood, he said, adding that clearly explaining the technology for laypeople will be a challenge that researchers must overcome.

Researchers must retain source code so that any consequences could be traced, not so that the code can be made available to the public, Chen added.

All the research and studies conducted during development must be preserved, as this material would be needed for the evolution of the AI software, Chen said.

Date: 2019-09-24
Source: Overseas Community Affairs Council