AI4PEOPLE INSTITUTE
Official Website: https://ai4people.org/ai4people-institute
AI4People Institute was launched in February 2018 as a pioneering research/policy project by Professor Luciano Floridi, Michelangelo Baracchi Bonvicini, Robert Madelin and Tony Blair to shape the debate on AI Ethics in the European Union and prompt European institutions to act quickly to stem future AI risks in years where no government had yet addressed this crucial issue.
Its action is at the origin of the regulatory process that led to the “AI Act in Europe”, the world’s first AI regulation.
AI4People Institute (non-profit organization registered in Belgium) brings together leading AI companies, academics, civil society groups and governments to consider the risks of AI and advocate for responsible and beneficial AI development and deployment. The mission is to ensure that artificial intelligence (AI) benefits and serves humanity as a whole.
This crucial mission was initially supported by Atomium-EISMD and the founding members such as Audi, Elsevier, Fujitsu, Google, Meta, Intesa SanPaolo, Johnson & Johnson and Microsoft.
The “AI4People’s Ethical Framework for a Good AI Society: Opportunities, Risks, Principles, and Recommendations” was presented to the European Parliament in November 2018 and was fully adopted by the High-Level Expert Group on AI, the expert group created by the European Commission following the advice of AI4People.
AI4People Institute focuses on various aspects related to AI, including ethics, policy, governance, privacy, inclusivity, and the responsible use of AI across different domains. Key activities include:
1. Ethical Frameworks: Developing ethical guidelines and frameworks to guide the development and application of AI, emphasizing fairness, transparency, accountability, and inclusivity.
2. Public Awareness and Education: Raising awareness among the public regarding AI’s potential and challenges, fostering understanding, and promoting informed discussions on its societal impact.
3. Policy Recommendations: Providing recommendations to policymakers and regulatory bodies to develop appropriate laws and regulations that govern AI usage, ensuring it aligns with societal values and objectives.
4. Inclusivity and Diversity: Encouraging diverse perspectives and inclusivity in AI development to minimize bias and enhance AI systems’ understanding and representation of all individuals.
5. Privacy and Data Protection: Advocating for robust data privacy measures and emphasizing the importance of securing and protecting individuals’ data in AI applications.
6. Collaboration and Knowledge Sharing: Facilitating collaboration among stakeholders, sharing best practices, research findings, and insights to foster a collective effort towards responsible AI.
For more information please contact: info@ai4people.org
Why
AI4People Institute was established in February 2018 following a meeting in 2017 during the Atomium’s Next Generation Internet Summit between Prof Luciano Floridi, Founding Director of the Digital Ethics Center at Yale University and Michelangelo Baracchi Bonvicini, President of Atomium-EISMD.
Six months later the European Commission established the High-Level Expert Group on Artificial Intelligence, in which many scientific members of AI4People were engaged.
What
AI4People Institute’s first year of activity led to the “AI4People’s Ethical Framework for a Good AI Society: Opportunities, Risks, Principles, and Recommendations”, presented to the European Parliament in December 2018 by Prof. Luciano Floridi, Michelangelo Baracchi Bonvicini and Tony Blair.
This important achievement was the starting point for the High Level Group on AI created by the European Commission and guided to the Ethics Guidelines for Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence presented in April 2019, which served as the basis for the Artificial Intelligence Act (AI Act).
After this the scientific activities led the “Report on Good AI Governance: 14 Priority Actions, a S.M.A.R.T. Model of Governance, and a Regulatory Toolbox“, presented to the the European Parliament on November 6th.
In 2020, AI4People Institute has identified seven strategic sectors (Automotive, Banking & Finance, Energy, Healthcare, Insurance, Legal Service Industry, Media & Technology) for the deployment of ethical AI, appointing 7 different committees to analyse how can trustworthy AI be implemented in these sectors: the “AI4People’s 7 AI Global Frameworks“, are the result of this effort, presented to the European Parliament on December 1, 2020. This work contributed to the drafting of the AI Act and supported the policy makers involved in the process.
In 2022 AI4People Institute organised some open-door conversations on certifications, assurance and sandboxes:
In order to follow the results of the First AI4People’s Conversation (December 1, 2021) please see here.
In order to follow the results of the Second AI4People’s Conversation (March 23, 2022) please see here.
In order to obtain more information about the Third AI4People’s Conversation (December 6, 2022) please see here.
Current Activities: Towards an Ethics by Design Approach for AI
The AI4People Institute’s Report “Towards an Ethics by Design Approach for AI” aims to provide a detailed overview of the Ethics by Design process, a methodology that guides the development of AI systems in accordance with the ethical principles and values that underpin the European Union. Starting from an overview of the origins and the rationale of the Ethics by Design process, outlining its main steps and components, the paper also provides some recommendations for the European institutions on how to foster and support the adoption of the Ethics by Design process by the AI stakeholders in the EU.
From June 12th the Report is available here.
AI4People Institute thanks the Scientific Committee, the Working Group and the active contribution of Fujitsu, Airbus and Deloitte for this important result.
How to design, develop and maintain responsible and just Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems that respect the fundamental rights, ethical, moral principles, and values of the European Union?
The report outlines in actionable detail an “Ethics by Design” approach, which guides organizations, public or private, small, or large enterprises, in proactively designing, developing and maintaining Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems in accordance with the laws, ethical, moral principles and public values that underpin the European Union.
For more information or collaboration proposals please contact: info@ai4people.org
AI4People Institute is registered in the EU Transparency Register under the number 343652748893-89
