Going Beyond Compliance: Responsible And Ethical AI

Bates Wells convenes a regular Impact Counsels' Forum for senior counsel working within purpose-driven businesses. A recent meeting of the forum discussed the regulatory landscape for artificial intelligence (AI), the risks of using AI in certain contexts and what approaches could help businesses deploy AI responsibly. Inspired by the forum discussion, we share our thoughts on where we are now and what's on the horizon for AI regulation.

Recent discourse on AI appears to have raised the general level of concern over the possible negative impacts of the technology, given its potential to create fundamental, global, economic and social change. The impact of AI on jobs, its potential as a tool for misinformation, and concerns over data security and discriminatory practices are all causes for concern. A recent open letter signed by experts calls for a pause on developing evermore powerful AI to refocus on safety, transparency and accuracy in these systems.