Ethics and the power of AI – having a chat with Minister Bart Somers
March 1st, 2022On 10 February 2022, Minister Bart Somers — mayor of Mechelen and Vice-Minister-President of the Flemish Government — met with Arinti and Microsoft to discuss AI possibilities and ethical consequences. Somers envisions a future where citizens can handle all government services from anywhere, without physically visiting a town hall. The Government of Flanders launched a project to make local administrations digital-proof. But as Somers clarifies: physical service should always remain possible. By doing more digitally, capacity is freed up for personal, customised service provision.
The power of AI in government
AI saves time and money by automating repetitive tasks. But as Sammy Deprez (Arinti) explains, it can also reduce stress, provide new insights, and prevent frustration. The city of Mechelen's chatbot Yana is an example: it checks in with young people going out at night, simulates phone calls, and puts them at ease. Pre-built AI blocks make it possible for organisations to get started right away. Arinti helps optimise these blocks and adapt them to specific needs.
Responsible AI and ethical frameworks
People quickly think in doomsday scenarios with AI, but computers are still just computers. To deal with concerns about privacy, control, and transparency, organisations need ethical frameworks. These already exist at European and global level, where cities and countries share knowledge and experiences. With deep learning, you can go so deep that you no longer know how something was calculated. As Koen Everaert (Arinti) warns: if you make predictions based on historical data, you have to make sure the data is right. Microsoft's framework for responsible AI is built on six principles: fairness, reliability, privacy, inclusivity, transparency, and accountability.
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