Mains Practice Questions

Approach

• Start your answer by defining AI and also mention some recent examples.
• In the body section, mention the ethical challenges associated with incorporating AI in workplace.
• Conclude with way forward.

Introduction

Today is the age of Artificial intelligence. It means intelligence of machines wherein they can be as intelligent as to take decisions, recommend actions and solving problems. AI has made its place to several crucial positions. Like, recently a news channel has employed an AI Anchor to read out News. Examples like this are huge in numbers. Though incorporating AI in the workplace has numerous benefits, but just like every boon comes with a bane, it also has a number of ethical challenges.

Some of the ethical challenges are:

• Job Displacement: As machines and algorithms become more capable of performing tasks traditionally done by humans, there is a risk of significant unemployment and economic disruption.
• Inequality: Automation and AI can exacerbate existing inequalities in society. If certain jobs are more easily automated than others, it may disproportionately impact workers in lower-skilled or routine-based occupations. This could contribute to income inequality also.
• Retraining and Upskilling: AI can create a skills gap between workers who have the ability and opportunity to learn new skills and those who do not. This can lead to unequal access to career advancement, income, and job security.
• Impartiality: AI systems are only as fair and unbiased as the data they are trained on. If biased data or flawed algorithms are used in decision-making processes, it can perpetuate existing societal biases and discrimination.
• Lack of Emotional intelligence: As AI systems are based on algorithms and machine learning, they lack the subjective experience of emotions that humans possess. Emotions are complex, subjective states that involve physiological and psychological responses, which AI systems cannot replicate.
• Data Privacy and Security: Automation and AI rely on vast amounts of data, raising concerns about privacy and security. Organizations must ensure that personal and sensitive data is protected and used responsibly, without infringing on individual privacy rights.

Conclusion:

Incorporating Artificial Intelligence brings numerous benefits such as increased efficiency, but it has several ethical issues also which need to be addressed. Addressing these ethical challenges requires a collaborative effort between policymakers, businesses, educators, and society at large. It involves implementing policies that promote responsible automation, providing support for affected workers, investing in education and skills development, etc.