What Are Some Ethical Considerations When Using Generative AI?

What Are Some Ethical Considerations When Using Generative AI?

8 mins readComment
Jaya
Jaya Sharma
Assistant Manager - Content
Updated on Aug 23, 2024 18:04 IST

Let us say, you have understood a mathematical concept using one of the tools. You have used the same formula to solve a question in your school math quiz. However, you are marked incorrectly on this question. Reason being? This formula was incorrect. You have started getting trust issues, haven’t you?

Generative AI can make mistakes. It can give misinformation and even biases. Yes, you heard me correctly. So, what is the solution? Before we answer your doubts regarding what are some ethical considerations when using Generative AI, we first need to know what is Generative AI. 

ethical considerations for using generative ai

Table of Contents

What is Generative AI?

Generative AI is a type of artificial intelligence technology that is used for generating content. This includes image, audio, text and any other synthetic data. There are many Generative AI tools that have become extremely popular since 2023. Some popular examples of Generative AI tools include Midjourney AI, Dall-E, leonardo.ai, ChatGPT, Bard, Claude AI, Synthesia and HeyGen among others.  

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Statistics Related to Generative Artificial Intelligence

  • The market size of Generative AI market is projected to reach upto US $ 66.62 bn in 2024.
  • Market size of generative AI is expected to show an annual growth rate (CAGR 2024-2030) of 20.80% which will result in a market volume of US $ 207.00 bn by 2030.
  • Globally the largest market size will be the United States (US $ 23.20 bn in 2024).
  • The generative AI market size will grow with the forecasted CAGR of over 24.4% from 2023 to 2030.

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Scope of Generative AI

The following are expected from Generative AI in the future:

  • Advancements in the areas of deep learning and machine learning are expected in the future.
  • Capabilities of generative AI will increase as the models will be trained with more data which will help in building superior tools. 
  • With the development of the superior tools, highly realistic virtual avatar will be created.
  • More personalized content with an immersive experience will be created which can be used in movies production as well as in video games.
  • Generative AI can be used in design and creativity leading to generation of extremely realistic imagery and videos.
  • This technology will also help in medical imaging analysis, synthesis of new drug compound and personalized treatment plans.

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What are Some Ethical Considerations When Using Generative AI?

The following points highlight some ethical considerations when using generative AI:

1. Creation of Harmful Content

Since generative AI generates content based on the prompts, it can create anything as per the set of instructions. This means that anything can be easily created if a person misuses the tools for unethical content. Such unethical creations can cause harm to the society.

Ethical Considerations When Using Generative AI

The following ethical guidelines can be followed:

  • Develop Ethical Frameworks: Establish clear ethical guidelines and best practices for developers and users of generative AI, focusing on transparency, accountability, and alignment with human values.
  • Government Regulations: Implement regulations that hold developers and users accountable for the misuse of generative AI and outline potential legal consequences.
  • Industry Standards and Self-Regulation: Encourage collaborative efforts within the AI industry to set standards and promote self-regulation for ethical AI development and deployment.

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2. Misinformation

Generative AI models are trained on datasets from different sources that may contain errors. In such cases, these models may generate information that is factually incorrect. These models may unintentionally make claims that are factually incorrect. Infact, generative AI tools such as ChatGPT and Bard mention this on the footer to ensure that people verify this information from credible sources.

Ethical Considerations When Using Generative AI

The following ethical guidelines can be followed:

  • Clear disclaimers and limitations: Provide clear disclaimers about the limitations of generative AI outputs and emphasize the need for verification from credible sources.
  • Critical thinking skills development: Promote critical thinking skills among users to enable them to assess the credibility and accuracy of information, including AI-generated content.
  • Transparency about data sources and training methods: Share information about the data sources and training methods used to build the model, allowing users to understand its potential biases and limitations.

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3. Copyright Infringement

Since generative AI are trained on massive amounts of data from multiple unknown sources, there is a high chance for data infringement. This can ultimately lead to copyright infringement which can put you in legal complications.

Ethical Considerations When Using Generative AI

The following ethical guidelines can be followed:

  • Clear terms of use and disclaimers: Communicate limitations and potential legal risks associated with generative AI outputs in terms of use and disclaimers.
  • Attribution and source identification: Encourage proper attribution of sources and identification of potential copyrighted elements if applicable.
  • Compliance with copyright laws: Stay informed about evolving copyright laws and regulations regarding AI-generated content and adjust practices accordingly.
  • Support for open-source data initiatives: Advocate for and contribute to initiatives promoting open-source data sets with clear licensing terms for AI training.
  • Engagement with rights holders: Engage in dialogue with copyright holders to explore licensing options and establish mutually beneficial collaborations.

4. Violation of Data Privacy

Data privacy has become one of the biggest concerns in the current era where we all have become digitally connected. Since Generative AI is trained on data sets, it may sometimes include Personally Identifiable Information (PII) about individuals. Revealing personal information is strictly against the guidelines related to PII. 

Ethical Considerations When Using Generative AI

The following ethical guidelines can be followed:

  • Ethical guidelines and policies: Establish clear ethical guidelines and policies around data privacy and PII protection for AI development and deployment.
  • Transparency and explainability: Develop models that are transparent and explainable, allowing users to understand how PII is handled and mitigate risks.
  • Independent oversight and audits: Consider establishing independent oversight bodies to audit AI systems and ensure compliance with data privacy regulations.

5. Social Biases

Say a generative model is trained on data that has a lot of biased information against a social or political group. This will lead to the generation of content that will not be authentic. It has the potential to disrupt the image of people, religion or culture. 

Ethical Considerations When Using Generative AI 

The following ethical guidelines can be followed:

Transparency and Explainability:

  • Transparent data sources and training practices: Disclose the sources of training data and training practices to facilitate understanding and address potential biases.
  • Explainable AI techniques: Utilize explainable AI techniques to understand how the model makes decisions and identify potential biases influencing its outputs.
  • User education and awareness: Educate users about the limitations of generative models and potential biases that may exist in their outputs.

Governance and Accountability:

  • Ethical guidelines and best practices: Adhere to ethical guidelines and best practices to develop and deploy generative AI systems, emphasizing fairness and inclusivity.
  • Human oversight and control: Maintain human oversight and control mechanisms throughout the AI development lifecycle to prevent biased outputs from causing harm.
  • Accountability mechanisms: Establish accountability mechanisms to hold developers and users responsible for potential harms caused by biased AI outputs.

6. Replace Human Workforce

One of the biggest risks of generative AI is its expanding capabilities. Generative AI has the capability to perform tasks at a speed and with an efficiency that a human may not be able to achieve. This can be highly beneficial for organizations in terms of cost-cutting and time management. However, it can lead to lesser demand for workforce. 

Ethical Considerations When Using Generative AI 

The following ethical guidelines can be followed:

  • Responsible AI Development: Emphasize and promote ethical guidelines for AI development and deployment that prioritize human well-being and minimize job displacement.
  • Transparency and Explainability: Develop AI systems that are transparent and explainable. This will allow for a greater understanding of their impact and potential biases.

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7. Lack of Transparency

Generative AI models are trained on datasets from different sources that may contain errors. In such cases, these models may generate information that is factually incorrect. These models may unintentionally make claims that are factually incorrect. In fact, generative AI tools such as ChatGPT and Bard mention this on the footer to ensure that people verify this information from credible sources.

Ethical Considerations When Using Generative AI 

The following ethical guidelines can be followed:

  • Clear disclaimers and limitations: Provide clear disclaimers about the limitations of generative AI outputs and emphasize the need for verification from credible sources.
  • Critical thinking skills development: Promote critical thinking skills among users to enable them to assess the credibility and accuracy of information, including AI-generated content.
  • Transparency about data sources and training methods: Share information about the data sources and training methods used to build the model, allowing users to understand its potential biases and limitations.

8. Regulatory Compliance

Generative AI models may sometimes not follow the regulations such as GDPR and HIPAA. These tools may fail at maintaining secrecy about sensitive information which may be against individual or even national interest.

Ethical Considerations When Using Generative AI 

The following ethical guidelines can be followed:

  • Compliance audits and monitoring: Establish compliance audits and monitoring processes to ensure adherence to relevant regulations and data privacy principles.
  • Explainable AI and user control: Develop models that are transparent and explainable, allowing users to understand how their data is used and controlled.
  • Data subject rights and access: Implement mechanisms for individuals to access, rectify, and erase their data as stipulated by regulations like GDPR.
  • User consent and awareness: Obtain informed consent from users regarding data collection, processing, and potential risks associated with generative AI outputs.

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FAQs

How can bias be addressed in generative AI systems? 

Bias in generative AI are addressed by training data, regular audits of AI outputs, and implementing fairness constraints in AI models.

What are the privacy implications of using generative AI? 

Privacy concerns include use of personal data for training, potential for re-identification in outputs, and unauthorized use of copyrighted material.

How can we ensure transparency in generative AI systems? 

Transparency can be improved with the clear documentation of AI processes, open-source initiatives, and by providing explanations for AI-generated outputs.

What is the impact of generative AI on employment? 

Generative AI automate certain tasks. This may result in potentially displacing some jobs while creating new roles in AI development and oversight.

About the Author
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Jaya Sharma
Assistant Manager - Content

Jaya is a writer with an experience of over 5 years in content creation and marketing. Her writing style is versatile since she likes to write as per the requirement of the domain. She has worked on Technology, Fina... Read Full Bio