Challenges for an Ontology of Artificial Intelligence

Of primary importance in formulating a response to the increasing prevalence and power of artificial intelligence (AI) applications in society are questions of ontology. Questions such as: What “are” these systems? How are they to be regarded? How does an algorithm come to be regarded as an agent? We discuss three factors which hinder discussion and obscure attempts to form a clear ontology of AI: (1) the various and evolving definitions of AI, (2) the tendency for pre-existing technologies to be assimilated and regarded as “normal,” and (3) the tendency of human beings to anthropomorphize. This list is not intended as exhaustive, nor is it seen to preclude entirely a clear ontology, however, these challenges are a necessary set of topics for consideration. Each of these factors is seen to present a 'moving target' for discussion, which poses a challenge for both technical specialists and non-practitioners of AI systems development (e.g., philosophers and theologians) to speak meaningfully given that the corpus of AI structures and capabilities evolves at a rapid pace. Finally, we present avenues for moving forward, including opportunities for collaborative synthesis for scholars in philosophy and science

Toward JUSTIS―A Research Program Aimed at Fostering Business Ethics by Empowering Stakeholders Through Information Systems

As incidents involving corporate social responsibility—or rather the lack thereof—hit headlines at regular intervals, stakeholders are becoming increasingly concerned about ethical issues, thus encouraging researchers to identify problematic business processes and pressing practitioners to start rectifying their questionable courses of action. In the meantime, information systems (IS) are becoming ever more pervasive and ubiquitous and are shaping and altering many of our everyday activities and behavior. We argue that when it comes to promoting ethical behaviors, IS can be used as powerful tools to empower stakeholders, and, thus, it is crucial to consider the role that IS can play in either advancing or deterring ethical—or conversely, unethical—behaviors. In this article, we present a research agenda for a new research program specifically concerned with the task of analyzing the social impact of existing IS and devising new ones that can be used to encourage ethical behavior. JustIS is the name of this program

Factors Giving Rise to Digital Payments Service Munificence: The Case of Zimbabwe

Use of digital payments has become prevalent globally, including in countries with developing economies. Yet there is still limited understanding of the factors giving rise to digital payments service munificence in these contexts. This interpretivist study utilized the abductive qualitative content analysis approach to develop propositions and a context sensitive theoretical framework grounded in empirical data on Zimbabwe that explains the underlying factors giving rise to digital payments service munificence. It utilized secondary data from 12 monetary policy statements published online over a period of 6 years. The factors that emerged included technological characteristics and institutional interventions these resonating with diffusion of innovations theory and institutional theory respectively

Hitting the triple bottom line: widening the HCI approach to sustainability

Sustainable Development (SD) in its dimensions – environment, economy, and society – is a growing area of concern within the HCI community. This paper advances a systematic literature review on sustainability across the Sustainable Human-Computer Interaction (SHCI) body of work. The papers were classified according to the Triple Bottom Line (TBL) framework to understand how the pillars of SD play into the HCI discourse on sustainability. The economic angle was identified as a gap in SHCI literature. To meet the TBL of SD, however, a balance needs to be sought across all ‘lines’. In this paper, we propose that HCI can advance the discussion and the understanding of the economic concepts around sustainability through taking a sociology perspective on the economic angle of the TBL. We sustain this claim by discussing economic concepts and the role that digital can play in redefining the established foundations of our economic system

Business and human rights in the data economy: A mapping and research study

Digitalization is gaining importance rapidly. However, neither companies nor states have yet developed a sufficient understanding of the data economy’s human rights impacts. The study suggests that addressing the corporate responsibility of technology companies through a business and human rights lens has the benefit of anchoring the debate in internationally established norms and universally accepted human rights. Furthermore, discussing human rights in the data economy from this angle opens the possibility for companies to use or learn from managerial toolkits that have already been developed in this field

Technoethics and Human Rights: The Metaethical Implications of Crisismapping and the Right to Privacy in Post-Disaster, Post-Conflict Scenarios

Do invasive digital approaches to disaster response come at too high of a cost to privacy, such that we should seek alternative methods or regulations? This paper examines the tension between the right to privacy and crisismapping, a new technological advancement in emergency response. After mapping the critical international institutions and stakeholders, the paper grounds interests to effective triage and to digital privacy in international human rights law. A thought experiment is offered to show our conflicting intuitions when privacy is weighed against critical safety interests, and multiple procedures are evaluated as means to reconcile these interests and determine the extent of the right to privacy. Ultimately, the paper calls for an expanded inquiry by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Right to Privacy, who has the power to engage multiple stakeholders for a fair and inclusive new approach. Privacy costs are too fundamental for emergency response to proceed without proper scrutiny

Surveillance in the Digital Age

Purpose: With technological progress, electronic devices have become available to almost all people. They use mobile phones, computing devices and other electronic devices every day for both personal and work purposes. The purpose of the research is to analyze how people are being monitored in the digital world and what is needed to protect citizens from mass surveillance. Design/methodology/approach: In the process of developing the research, using scientific methods, both the opinions of scientists about surveillance in the digital age and the past cases of mass surveillance of people's actions in the digital world were analyzed. Findings: In the modern era, almost everyone uses devices for various purposes. Most often they use search engines, social networks, or other means of the digital world. But, they don't realize that not every piece of data they put into cyberspace "disappears." The purpose of the study is to show how the said data is acquired, how they are used, and what dangers humanity is facing if people's private life is not protected from surveillance in the digital age. Research limitations/implications: The research aims to analyze the existing scientific works, studies and articles about the dangers of surveillance in the digital age and to show the problems that exist in the process of fighting against surveillance. In the final part of the study, a minimum of recommendations will be presented, which are important to follow, so that the constitutional rights of people are not violated in the conditions of the possibility of simplified surveillance. Originality/value: There is hardly a person who does not use an electronic device to communicate in cyberspace. They use cyberspace for both work and personal purposes. In many cases, the data that is shared in cyberspace is not secured and through automated surveillance models, certain individuals, groups of individuals or states get hold of people's data, thereby successfully conducting surveillance. Due to the mentioned reasons, the research is of special relevance and it is important to show the means of surveillance and the ways of fighting them to protect fundamental human rights in the digital age