Can technological change be stopped?

Advancements in technology – specifically the use of AI – have moved at lightning speed. It’s little wonder that many of us feel we can’t keep up with the pace of change. And with the spotlight firmly on the negative impact of AI, there are growing concerns about its role in society.

 

The direction of technological change can be stopped and steered in a new direction. Our Conscious AI campaign aims to help charities adopt an ethical approach to AI and create a better future for the communities they support. Many charities have been using AI in recent years, but there are concerns that the economic incentives of AI outweigh the ethics in the charity sector and beyond.

 

The campaign aims to create awareness of the risks of AI and empower charities to make the right decisions for their communities.

 

It encourages: 

• Fair and responsible use of AI
• Developing practical AI skills
• The regulation of AI driven by diverse human needs
• Charities being the voice of the people they support

 

Through our campaign, we want to share that technological change is not inevitable. Charities’ actions – whatever they are – will shape AI’s future. In this article, we explore what human-led technological change could look like.

 

 

Giving people power over AI

 

Jeni Tennison and Tim Davies from the not-for-profit Connected by Data say that a lot of the narrative around AI is focused on risk and complexity. As a result, the general public find it hard to keep up with AI and lack confidence with using it. People feel that they don’t understand enough about AI to have a say in its future.

 

To counter this narrative, the Tennison and Davies stress that it’s important to empower groups and communities to learn about AI, so they can influence and take control of its role in their lives. This will give people affected by technology – not just tech companies – the “moral authority and legitimacy” to make ethical decisions about how AI is developed and used.

 

Giving people power over technology will also help to build literacy and trust in AI tools. Tennison and Davies say that this will “guide the innovation and adoption of technology in directions that reflect social licence and public interest”.

 

 

Actively involving the public in AI

 

To encourage conversations about how AI is used, Tennison and Davies say an active civil society is vital. In 2023, Connected by Data put together the People’s Panel on AI, a group of 11 people who were given the job of engaging with the AI Safety Summit, an international conference organised by the UK government. The aim of the panel was to put together a series of recommendations that would influence the future of AI in a responsible and positive way. Many of the recommendations focused on the importance of involving, and engaging, the public in the development, adoption and governance of AI.

 

There are also a number of initiatives out there to encourage the public to campaign for a say on how AI is used and implemented. These include Pull the Plug and Pause AI. Plug the Plug, for instance, aims for members of the public to take control of AI from technology companies so they can decide what role AI plays in their lives.

 

 

Shaping AI to human needs

 

Human-led technological change means that people can have a say on and shape the future of technology For tech to be shaped by human needs, leaders of organisations need to find the right balance between knowing where human judgement is needed and where automation can be used. They also need to manage accountability when using AI, make ethical choices, and guide the use of AI responsibly.

 

 

How charities can help the public to engage with AI

 

Charities can help to drive human-led technological change by improving transparency about AI. This means explaining AI in a way that can be understood by everyone, including how AI works, how it’s used, and the impact it has. Charities can support transparency by explaining to the people who use their services how AI is delivering or assisting with the decisions they make.

 

Charities can also help the public to have an active involvement in AI and its role by increasing literacy around AI. AI literacy means that people are able to understand and apply information about AI. This will give groups and communities a meaningful voice in how AI is developed and used in the future.

 

Things that charities can do to drive this include:

 

• Providing training and resources on AI to people supported by charities
• Joining the Data and AI Civil Society Network to amplify the voice and interests of service users
• Advocating with service users to have their voices heard in AI advancements and policies

 

 

How we use technology can create hope

 

By charities using AI responsibility and ethically to support their causes, they can influence the use of technology in a positive way.

 

There are many examples of how AI is being used for the greater good. For instance, it’s being used to improve medical diagnosis and catch early signs of preventable diseases. It’s also being used to map the emissions of greenhouse gases and provide assistive technology for people with disabilities.

 

When organisations are transparent about their use of AI and do everything they can to move away from the risks, all of this work can help people feel more hopeful and happy about the future role of AI.