(To watch the entire interview, please click on the following link: http://rox.netxpert.ro/Interview_SB_5juillet2024_EthiqueIA.mp4)
Stefano Bianchini is an associate professor and responsible for a Data Science and AI program within the Faculty of Economics and Management at the University of Strasbourg. His work focuses on the economics of science and innovation, machine learning, and applied micro-econometrics, advising bodies such as the European Commission and OECD.
One of the interesting theses he supports is that ‘we must embrace technological progress rather than fear it’.
In a world with many unanswered technological questions, he highlights that ‘for every negative aspect, there are at least ten positives’. Numerous researchers and professionals are collaborating to create ethical guidelines for the responsible and safe use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) at both local and international levels.
However, if we look back at the origins of the word ‘ethics’, which comes from the Greek ‘ethos’, meaning habit or character, we will understand that philosophers such as Aristotle, in his work Nicomachean Ethics, or Plato, in his well-known The Republic, explore the ideals of a society where justice, behavior, and personal fulfillment are determined by values such as ethics and virtue.
Stefano Bianchini returns to much simpler principles and summarizes the ethics of these algorithms behind AI systems to notions such as responsibility, accountability, and transparency. However, he insists on the primacy of respecting privacy and confidentiality. While it is true that we are still at an early stage where many people do not yet understand their value, transparency in substance and the explainability of decisions made by an algorithmic system must be a priority for its developers.
The general reluctance towards AI and ‘anything unknown’ stems from a lack of deep understanding of how these systems work, he explains. To avoid polarizing public opinion into two extremes—‘techno-pessimists’ who focus on negative incidents to dismiss any benefits, and ‘techno-optimists’ who see technology as a universal solution—he advocates for a balanced, rational approach. He stresses the importance of educating the public from a young age, simplifying concepts to explain both the risks and benefits of these technologies (AI Literacy).
Vigilance, as in any aspect of life, is key to addressing this issue.
Immediate Risk or Future Scenarios: A Labor Law Issue
People’s tendency to follow a series of negative news every day leads to a generalization of a state of affairs.
‘If we look at the historical perspective on the impact of AI systems, we will notice slight changes in jobs’, he says. It is true that there is a trend towards restructuring, but this also allows for the emergence of new jobs. What worries him more is the tendency towards labor market polarization, which translates into a reconfiguration of jobs where intermediate professions contract, and higher-paid ones rise in rank, leading to wage inequalities.
What must be understood in this context boils down to the notion of repetitive tasks, whether manual or cognitive (such as radiology or surgery). When a state of predictability sets in, it seems that machines based on algorithms become more efficient and are better positioned to perform them. This should not, however, lead to the idea that we are heading towards ‘mass unemployment’. In reality, the researcher explains, ‘we all share this responsibility’.
Discrimination and Social Inequalities
Stefano Bianchini confidently states that he would have no problem undergoing surgery performed by a robot, provided that the imperatives of equity and non-discrimination are respected. He recalls studies currently available that show that, even in a medical context (such as breast cancer detection), the algorithm generates different results depending on the individual being analyzed. Minorities appear to be the most affected by these erroneous results due to characteristics related to ethnicity or skin color.
However, public, European, and international institutions, along with research teams, are making considerable efforts to develop regulations that maximize the positive aspects of these technologies. He mentions the well-known example of the AI Act by the European Commission and draws attention to the groundless criticisms regarding the perceived lack of initiative from these institutions.
After all, like Rome, the Great Wall of China wasn’t built in a day.
The New Generation, Young ‘Cyber-Talents’, and Firms’ Reluctance Due to Lack of Experience
In an effort to understand why most companies in the digital market are deeply reluctant to integrate recent graduates with technological profiles (Cyberjustice, Tech and Media Law, IP/IT, Data Science), we can see that the main reason is the lack of professional experience.
When asked whether companies should be sensitized to these flawed approaches and have more confidence in young, competent talents, Mr. Bianchini suggests dividing companies into two categories. The first includes those without extensive expertise in the technological field, more readily integrating young professionals with less experience, as they seek to explore the potential of AI technologies. The second category comprises major digital market players with a precise, well-defined hierarchical structure, where reluctance persists and the balance between supply and demand is often unmet.
However, we must not forget that there is currently a certain saturation of the job market and fierce competition among high-performing young people. If five years ago the program led by Mr. Bianchini was a pioneering initiative in the region, today we can certainly say that almost all university programs offer such a course.
In France, for example, the ‘alternance’ is the raison d’être for collaboration programs between universities and companies. What will set these young people apart in the ruthless selection by employers is therefore a set of ‘soft skills’, such as developing a project autonomously.
Eventually, ‘You(th) are the future’.
Roxana Vener
Master 2 – Promotion 2023/2024
Sources :
Cercle Gutenberg Alsace – Stefano Bianchini
You(th) are the change – UNICEF
