NikkeiAsia
Nikkei staff writers
Originally posted 22 Dec 2020
Here is an excerpt:
Sony will start screening all of its AI-infused products for ethical risks as early as spring, Nikkei has learned. If a product is deemed ethically deficient, the company will improve it or halt development.
Sony uses AI in its latest generation of the Aibo robotic dog, for instance, which can recognize up to 100 faces and continues to learn through the cloud.
Sony will incorporate AI ethics into its quality control, using internal guidelines.
The company will review artificially intelligent products from development to post-launch on such criteria as privacy protection. Ethically deficient offerings will be modified or dropped.
An AI Ethics Committee, with its head appointed by the CEO, will have the power to halt development on products with issues.
Even products well into development could still be dropped. Ones already sold could be recalled if problems are found. The company plans to gradually broaden the AI ethics rules to offerings in finance and entertainment as well.
As AI finds its way into more devices, the responsibilities of developers are increasing, and companies are strengthening ethical guidelines.
