ethics

In 2023, OpenAI told the UK parliament that it was “impossible” to train leading AI models without using copyrighted materials. It’s a popular stance in the AI world, where OpenAI and other leading players have used materials slurped up online to train the models powering chatbots and image generators, triggering a wave of lawsuits alleging copyright infringement. Two announcements Wednesday offer evidence that large language models can in fact be trained without the permissionless use of copyrighted materials.A group of…

But, as Ammanath explains below, responsibility for ethical performance now involves the entire executive suite, including boards of directors. While brand growth is important, the need to protect brand reputation and marketplace trust is driving the added attention that ethics is getting at the top levels of business.I had the opportunity to interview Ammanath, and our fascinating and wide-ranging conversation touched on the company's efforts to define ethical AI in the context of workforce development as well as how…

Nvidia Every year, the annual Game Developers Conference (GDC) acts as an all-important watercooler moment for the video game industry. It’s the one time a year where developers can widely gather to share their innovations, discuss the state of the industry, and advocate for change at scale. This year’s show, though, is especially crucial. It comes amid a catastrophic wave of layoffs across studios that’s put well over 10,000 individuals out of work. That’s happening as executives look to tools like generative AI to…

A Linköping University study reveals that researchers often overestimate their adherence to ethical practices compared to peers and other fields, risking ethical complacency and hindering collaboration. Surveying over 33,000 Swedish researchers, the findings highlight the importance of continuous ethical self-reflection to mitigate potential lapses and promote the greater good of science.The average researcher thinks they are better than their colleagues at following good research practices. They also think that their own…

To give AI-focused women academics and others their well-deserved — and overdue — time in the spotlight, TechCrunch is launching a series of interviews focusing on remarkable women who’ve contributed to the AI revolution. We’ll publish several pieces throughout the year as the AI boom continues, highlighting key work that often goes unrecognized. Read more profiles here. Sandra Wachter is a professor and senior researcher in data ethics, AI, robotics, algorithms and regulation at the Oxford Internet Institute. She’s…

Whether through the frowning high-definition face of a chimpanzee or a psychedelic, pink-and-red-hued doppelganger of himself, Reuven Cohen uses AI-generated images to catch people’s attention. "I've always been interested in art and design and video and enjoy pushing boundaries,” he says—but the Toronto-based consultant, who helps companies develop AI tools, also hopes to raise awareness of the technology’s darker uses.“It can also be specifically trained to be quite gruesome and bad in a whole variety of ways,” Cohen…

The AI train is going full steam ahead by the looks of things, and there seems to be nothing that can stop its wheels from rolling over concerns from AI detractors and doubters. In Apple’s annual shareholders meeting, not only did Tim Cook talk up the firm's AI research, but shareholders summarily killed off a proposal to investigate AI ethics and write up a report.While we have some time to wait until Apple shows us what its next big AI product is going to look like, Cook seems excited to share with the world that it’s…

The Los Angeles Ethics Commission has unanimously voted to reject the proposed settlement by the city with Les Moonves, the former president and CEO of CBS. The settlement, made public last week, stated that Moonves tried to influence now-retired LAPD Captain Cory Palka amid a sexual assault investigation against the executive. The legal documents noted that Moonves agreed to pay an $11,250 fine on Feb. 5 for violating the city’s ethics code. Moonves “admits that he violated City law by aiding…

Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain There is a long and often complicated history of researchers studying Indigenous people. In 1999, the education scholar Linda Tuhiwai-Smith, in her book "Decolonizing Methodologies: Research and Indigenous Peoples, "emphasized the colonial character of much research. She warned that it "brings with it a new wave of exploration, discovery, exploitation and appropriation."…

Oink oink, do you care for a pig-ture perfect cup of coffee while cozying up to an adorable piglet? Then, it’s time to smash your piggy bank and fly to Japan to visit this pig cafe.For 2,200 yen ($15), customers get to spend at least 30 minutes in the company of cute little pigs at Tokyo’s Mipig Café. Due to its a-boar-able and popular nature, a reservation is required before showing up.Brad Loomis, a software engineer from Pullman, Washington, visited the capital’s unique coffee place with his 21-year-old daughter,…