How to make AI programmes ethically sound? - workshop by the AIT AI Ethics Lab

Under the title “How to make AI programs ethically sound” the AIT AI Ethics Lab and the European umbrella organization of innovation agencies, TAFTIE, conducted a full-day workshop on the 23rd of March 2023 on the premises of the Austrian Research Funding Agency FFG. 21 participants joined, from research funding organisations spanning from Portugal to the Baltic countries. 

Alexander Schindler introduced the participants to the basic tenets of Artificial Intelligence explaining the history of AI development, basic deep learning mechanisms as well as presenting an AI use case about fake news detection. Peter Biegelbauer, head of the AIT AI Ethics Lab, followed him in presenting the topics of ethically acceptable AI software, AI Ethics guidelines, the European AI Act, which is expected to become EU law by the end of 2023.

Additionally, the needs of research funding organisations were directly addressed with Peter Biegelbauer’s presentation on “Good practices for projects and programme design” covering the HORIZON EUROPE framework. At last, the participants were asked to brainstorm about designing an AI funding programme that is ethically sound.

This workshop proved to be insightful also for the AIT AI Ethics Lab. It resonated very well with the participants, given the rising topical relevance as well as the need for background knowledge among RFOs. Hence, the work the Lab offers is in high demand. Furthermore, the possibility of discussing and exchanging experiences on funding ethical AI and what to take into consideration in the future is still not common, demonstrating that the AIT AI Ethics Lab is filling a void.