Press release

24 Sep 2019

EY comes together with coalition to help establish ethical artificial intelligence systems

NEW YORK, 24 SEPTEMBER 2019. EY today announced it is coming together with the Partnership on AI, a multistakeholder not-for-profit corporation formed to better understand the impacts of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies and to serve as an open platform for discussion and engagement around AI’s impact on people and society.

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Related topics AI Technology
  • Partnership on AI carries out research to help ensure artificial intelligence (AI) technologies have positive societal impact
  • Newly formed EY AI Advisory Board established to develop rigorous approaches to creating and maintaining trust in AI

EY today announced it is coming together with the Partnership on AI, a multistakeholder not-for-profit corporation formed to better understand the impacts of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies and to serve as an open platform for discussion and engagement around AI’s impact on people and society. This decision reflects the commitment of EY to collaborate with the public and private sectors, civil society, academia and beyond, not only to establish governance and controls necessary for building and maintaining trust in AI systems, but also to help ensure the meaningful technological advancements of AI will have a positive impact.

Earlier this month, EY established the first cross-disciplinary EY AI Advisory Board to develop rigorous approaches to addressing the ethical challenges surrounding emerging technologies and help implement strategies for building trusted AI systems. Led by Nigel Duffy, EY Global Artificial Intelligence Leader, the EY AI Advisory Board consists of four academic professionals who are experienced in computer science, technology and ethics, and possess a range of diverse knowledge on the subject matter. Duffy and other EY leaders will meet with the board regularly, with the first meeting taking place in London next month.

Board members include:

  • Reid Blackman, Ph.D., Founder and CEO, Virtue Consultants, previously Philosophy Faculty at Colgate University and Fellow at the Parr Center for Ethics at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
  • Nello Cristianini, Professor of Artificial Intelligence, University of Bristol
  • Luciano Floridi, Professor of Philosophy and Ethics of Information, Director of the OII Digital Ethics Lab, University of Oxford, Turing Fellow and Chair of the Data Ethics Group, The Alan Turing Institute
  • Lise Getoor, Professor of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Califorinia, Santa Cruz

Through involvement with the Partnership on AI and the EY AI Advisory Board, EY also aims to address the concerns surrounding AI and to contribute to the development of cross-sector governance policies, to help enhance trust in the technologies and to articulate the benefit they can have for the greater good.

Nigel Duffy says:

“There are already many conversations happening about the dangers of unethical AI, but there is not enough focus on how to translate these concerns to an actionable approach. AI practitioners need to know how to design and implement a trusted system, and how to monitor if it is acting appropriately. Through our involvement with the Partnership on AI and with the creation of the EY AI Advisory Board, we are proactively addressing the ‘how’ by working with a wide range of stakeholders to define practical guidance and strategies for building technologies that will advance society.”

Julia Rhodes Davis, Director of Partnerships, Partnership on AI, says:

“We are excited about EY’s industry leadership and commitment to addressing ethical challenges surrounding AI technologies. The Partinership on AI is honored to add EY’s expertise and global perspective to our diverse coalition of technology companies, think tanks, policy and research centers, and human rights organizations.” 

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Notes to Editors

About EY

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This news release has been issued by EYGM Limited, a member of the global EY organization that also does not provide any services to clients.

 

About the Partnership on AI

The Partnership on AI (PAI) is a nonprofit organization committed to the creation and dissemination of best practices in artificial intelligence through the diversity of its Partners. By gathering the leading companies, organizations, and people differently affected by artificial intelligence, PAI establishes a common ground between entities which otherwise may not have cause to work together – and in so doing – serves as a uniting force for good in the AI ecosystem. Today, PAI convenes more than 90 partner organizations from around the world to realize the promise of artificial intelligence. Find more information about PAI at partnershiponai.org.