Investing in Ethical AI
The Untapped Opportunity of Responsible Tech
This post is a part of the EQUATION publication.
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Dear Reader,
This issue holds a special place in my heart, which I am sure has caught you off-guard to read. Why would an ethicist be enthralled by investments and artificial intelligence? Ethics seems to be a shaky connection to the two at best, and in direct conflict of interest at worst. As you are about to settle in to read though, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Ethics, AI, and investing go nicely hand-in-hand, however, this still isn’t the reason for my excitement.
I am thrilled to publish this issue because of what it signifies: the moment in time in which the conversation around AI innovation has begun to change.
It has long been understood that the relationship between founders and investors has significant influence over the direction of the company and its technology. Founders build the technology that investors will fund, and investors in turn affect the pace, growth, and direction of the founder’s technology. This means that if we are to have any significant impact on how startups build and develop AI, that change must become embedded into this revered founder/investor relationship.
I have spent a significant amount of time in my career as an ethicist trying to change the conversation around AI development to one that includes ethics at its core. Although I had made progress with founders, I had, until now, been met by a complete standstill on the side of the investors. However, as you will find echoing throughout this issue, that is no longer the case, as the vanguards in investment are beginning to realize the true potential of ethical AI.
We still have a long way to go in instilling ethics into the core of the founder/investor relationship. But for the first time since the start of the Responsible Tech industry, we have both sides listening and engaged.
I hope you find as much hope in reading this issue as I have had in editing it.
Happy reading,
Olivia & The EI Team
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