Dr. Casey Fiesler
Ethical debt happens when tech developers don't take enough time to consider consequences before deployment, and instead wait to see what the "bugs" will be. Which requires speculation about likely consequences... but that doesn't mean imagining sci-fi futures. *Near-term* speculation is even more important when it's so clear what the immediate harms of AI can be... (wrote about this for @TheConversationUS ) https://theconversation.com/ai-has-social-consequences-but-who-pays-the-price-tech-companies-problem-with-ethical-debt-203375
AI has social consequences, but who pays the price? Tech companies' problem with 'ethical debt'

Generative AI is designed to produce the unforeseen, but that doesn’t mean developers can’t predict the types of social consequences it may cause.

The Conversation
Apr 19, 2023 at 1:35pmWeb
Show threadAndrew HundtApr 19, 2023
@TheConversationUS @cfiesler brilliant!
Show threadDr. Casey FieslerApr 19, 2023
@ahundt @TheConversationUS thank you!!
Show threadLornaMCampbellApr 19, 2023
@cfiesler @TheConversationUS This is really thought provoking. I love the idea of teaching ethical speculation skills. This should really be a key component of information literacy.
Show threadDr. Casey FieslerApr 19, 2023
@lornamcampbell @TheConversationUS Thank you! I've been thinking a lot about how to scaffold ways to do this.
Show threadMike HanleyApr 19, 2023
@cfiesler @TheConversationUS need we a new job title of "IT Harm Forseer"
Show threadInky TartarsApr 19, 2023

@TheConversationUS @cfiesler

This is the tsunami following the wave of IoT, where so many technologists completely ignored security and privacy concerns in the rush for “gee whiz” features and applications.

Show threadjakob.pxiApr 21, 2023

@cfiesler @TheConversationUS Neato! I'm going to add this to a list of helpful examples that illustrate the principle of "externalities": Where business incentives lead to them offloading the burden of environmental or social second order costs onto society.

I think this accrues as risk (like ethical debt) in the value chain: Too much of it forces political intervention - but that reckoning may be far away and meanwhile profits are beckoning...

Show threadJames WellsMay 7, 2023

@cfiesler

@TheConversationUS
Excellent article, but what do you think should be done in relation to the pause letter? Additionally, what do you think could be done to reduce the ethical debt without slowing down progress?