A (relatively) specific proposal on how to regulate algorithmic disclosure of recommendation systems
Outlining a policy recommendation for algorithmic disclosure requirements.
A policy for more transparent recommender systems
Providers of consumer-facing recommender systems should be required to reveal how they work to an independent public authority. They would have to describe which types of algorithms are used, and how these are optimized, i.e., their goal functions, and what types of input data have […]
Spilling the recommended beans: why companies should have to disclose the ingredients of their recommendation systems
A proposal for algorithmic transparency.
Protect me from what AI wants? The binge-watching problem part 3
While it seems that algorithms at present mostly use our myopia to promote engagement, this may also give AI the potential to help us commit to long-term goals. It is a problem, however, that these goals sometimes disagree with the data-driven business models of platform providers. But perhaps […]
AI and Moral Responsibility
We are entering a new chapter in the digitalisation of society, advancing from machines as decision support, to machines as “decision makers”. This is made possible by the many breakthroughs in the development of artificial intelligence (AI) in the last decade. There is reason to expect that AI will be used increasingly not only for private decisions, but also for decisions made by public authorities and institutions. Who is responsible when a machine commits a serious error?
AI in the public sector – more of a human process
Robots and automation are not things of the future; they are popping up in various places in the public sector. AI is increasingly used for both small and big decisions such as sorting incoming mail […]
AI winter is coming?
The history of artificial intelligence (AI) has been a history of boom and bust. Periods of hype, exaggerated expectations and plentiful funding have been followed by periods known as “AI Winters”…
Voice assistants become Choice assistants?
In Homer’s epic poem, as Ulysses heads home, Circe suggests that he plug his ears. Otherwise, the Sirens’ song would lure him to steer his ship towards rocks and shipwreck. Ulysses asks his crew to plug their ears and tie him to the ship’s mast. When he passes the Sirens, he asks his crew to release him, but they refuse and the ship sails on…
Diffusion by Infusion – Has AI Spread by Piggybacking on Mobile Apps?
Social and ethical impacts of any technology presuppose its diffusion. That is why we need to understand the mechanisms underlying the spread of AI. This post summarizes a recent study of…
The Binge-Watching Problem
It is a quarter to midnight on a Tuesday and you are asking your virtual voice assistant to stream the next episode. Seems an easy task for an AI. The catch is that last week you asked…