# Steven Umbrello AI Ethics, Technology & Human Dignity - Site: https://stevenumbrello.com/ ## Is Artificial Intelligence A Threat To Human Existence? | Opposing Views - Link: https://stevenumbrello.com/2022/04/05/is-artificial-intelligence-a-threat-to-human-existence-opposing-views/ - Published: 2022-04-05T16:58:50+00:00 ## Killer Robots and Value Sensitive Design with Steven Umbrello - Link: https://stevenumbrello.com/2021/05/05/killer-robots-and-value-sensitive-design-with-steven-umbrello/ - Published: 2021-05-05T10:29:11+00:00 [[ [https://www.radicalai.org/killer-robots?rq=steven%20umbrello](https://www.radicalai.org/killer-robots?rq=steven%20umbrello) ## Interview with Steven Umbrello: Ethics, Technology, and the Future of Work - Link: https://stevenumbrello.com/2021/05/04/interview-with-steven-umbrello-ethics-technology-and-the-future-of-work/ - Published: 2021-05-04T06:28:11+00:00 In a continually advancing world, it is becoming ever more difficult for people to carve out their own niche. The internet revolutionized connection and communication globally, providing near-instant access to oceans of information. The rise of robotics and artificial intelligence has become ubiquitous and has contaminated domains ranging from manufacturing and stock market trading to medical diagnostics and surveillance. Each of these uses has its boon, but also its drawbacks. Issues like privacy rights emerge when we talk about facial recognition systems in public and the ethics of contact and tracing apps in this new age of pandemics. Issues like the right to employment become questioned as robotic process automation becomes more attractive to employers than human laborers. What happens when we get so used to these apps that privacy becomes a thing of the past? What happens when to those people who are displaced from their jobs by robots? These are tough questions that the folks at the Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies (IEET) have been tackling for over a decade. Read the rest of the article here > [Interview With Steven Umbrello: Ethics, Technology and the Future of Work](https://ritzherald.com/interview-with-steven-umbrello-ethics-technology-and-the-future-of-work/) ## Episode #23 Steven Umbrello, MA, MSc (Philosophy of Technology) - Link: https://stevenumbrello.com/2021/04/05/episode-23-steven-umbrello-ma-msc-philosophy-of-technology/ - Published: 2021-04-05T11:15:47+00:00 ## Mapping Value Sensitive Design onto AI for Social Good Principles - Link: https://stevenumbrello.com/2021/02/06/value-sensitive-design-for-ai4sg/ - Published: 2021-02-06T13:00:43+00:00 Value Sensitive Design (VSD) is an established method for integrating values in technical design. It has been applied to different technologies and recently also to artificial intelligence (AI). We argue that AI poses a number of specific challenges to VSD that require a somewhat adapted VSD approach. In particular, machine learning( ML) poses two challenges to VSD. First, it may opaque (to humans) how an AI system has learned certain things, which requires attention for such values as transparency, explainability, and accountability. Second, ML may lead to AI systems adapting themselves in such ways that they ‘disembody’ the values that have been embodied in them. In order to address these, we propose a threefold adapted VSD approach. 1) integrating the AI4SG principles in VSD as design norms from which more specific design requirements can be derived. 2) distinguishing between values to be promoted by the design and values to be respected by the design in order to ensure that the resulting design does not only do no harm but also contributes to doing good.`And 3) extending the VSD process to encompass the whole life cycle of an AI technology in order to be able to monitor unintended value consequences and to redesign the technology if necessary. We illustrate the new VSD for AI approach with an example use case of a particular SARS-CoV-2 contact-tracing app. ## Value Sensitive Design with Steven Umbrello - Link: https://stevenumbrello.com/2020/12/04/value-sensitive-design-with-steven-umbrello/ - Published: 2020-12-04T08:52:53+00:00 This month we are joined by EI Expert [Steven Umbrello](https://twitter.com/StevenUmbro) on the topic of Value Sensitive Design. In this episode we discuss Steven’s experience in working with engineers to apply Value Sensitive Design, the new challenges that arise when applying the theory specifically to artificial intelligence, the meaning of “progress not perfection” and so much more. You can find links to Steven’s [work here](https://philpeople.org/profiles/steven-umbrello). [https://www.podbean.com/eu/pb-iyfhr-f40d7c](https://www.podbean.com/eu/pb-iyfhr-f40d7c) ## TOWARDS AN ETHICS OF TECHNOLOGY - Link: https://stevenumbrello.com/2020/10/24/towards-an-ethics-of-technology/ - Published: 2020-10-24T08:35:52+00:00 [https://magazine.impactscool.com/en/robotica-e-ai/verso-unetica-della-tecnologia/](https://magazine.impactscool.com/en/robotica-e-ai/verso-unetica-della-tecnologia/) ## Value Sensitive Design for Artificial Intelligence (AiTech Agora) - Link: https://stevenumbrello.com/2020/10/24/value-sensitive-design-ai/ - Published: 2020-10-24T08:23:06+00:00 **Value Sensitive Design (VSD)** is an established method for integrating values in technical design. It has been applied to different technologies and [recently also to artificial intelligence (AI)](https://stevenumbrello.com/peer-reviewed-publications/). We argue that AI poses a number of specific challenges to VSD that require a somewhat [adapted VSD approach](https://www.academia.edu/43347384/Mapping_Value_Sensitive_Design_onto_AI_for_Social_Good_Principles). In particular, machine learning (ML) poses two challenges to value sensitive design. First, it may opaque (to humans) how an AI system has learned certain things. This requires attention to values such as transparency, explainability, and accountability. Second, ML may lead to AI systems adapting themselves in such ways that they ‘disembody’ the values that have been embodied in them. In order to address these, we propose a threefold adapted value sensitive design approach: 1. integrating the AI4SG principles in VSD as design norms from which more specific design requirements can be derived, 2. distinguishing between values to be promoted by the design and values to be respected by the design. This is to ensure that the resulting design does not only do no harm but also contributes to doing good, 3. extending the value sensitive design process to encompass the whole life cycle of an AI technology. Doing this allows us to monitor unintended value consequences and to redesign the technology if necessary. We illustrate the new VSD for AI approach with an example use case of a particular SARS-CoV-2 contact-tracing app. ## AI and the Ethical Conundrum Report - Link: https://stevenumbrello.com/2020/10/01/ai-and-the-ethical-conundrum/ - Published: 2020-10-01T08:14:43+00:00 Steven Umbrello was interviewed by the [Capgemini Research Institute](https://www.capgemini.com/research/ai-and-the-ethical-conundrum/) in their latest report: [_AI and the Ethical Conundrum: How organizations can build ethically robust AI systems and gain trust._](https://www.capgemini.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/AI-and-the-Ethical-Conundrum-Report-1.pdf) They surveyed over 800 organizations and 2,900 consumers to get a picture of the state of ethics in AI today. Capgemini wanted to understand what organizations can do to move to AI systems that are ethical by design, how they can benefit from doing so, and the consequences if they don’t. They found that while customers are becoming more trusting of AI-enabled interactions, organizations’ progress in ethical dimensions is underwhelming. And this is dangerous because once violated, trust can be difficult to rebuild. > Technology in general, and AI in particular, is not value-neutral. The design > decisions that are taken while developing AI impart certain values to AI whether > we want them to or not. The key is to bridge the gap between high-level principles > and design of AI systems. **Steven Umbrello, Managing director for the Institute > for Ethics and Emerging Technology** ## co-Editor of the International Journal of Technoethics - Link: https://stevenumbrello.com/2020/09/26/co-editor-of-the-international-journal-technoethics/ - Published: 2020-09-26T17:44:27+00:00 Steven Umbrello has assumed the role of [co-editor-in-chief](https://stevenumbrello.com/about/) of the [International Journal of Technoethics](https://www.igi-global.com/journal/international-journal-technoethics/1156) alongside Baha Abu-Shaqra (University of Ottawa). The **International Journal of Technoethics (IJT)** advances scholarship on the impact of ethics in technological advances and applications. It does so both in established areas such as **computer ethics**, **engineering ethics**, and **biotech ethics**, as well as new areas of research such as **nanoethics**, **artificial morality**, and **neuroethics**. IJT is a semi-annual journal that publishes empirical research, theoretical studies, innovative methodologies, practical applications, case studies, and book reviews. Overall, IJT provides moral and ethical aspects of technology in society.