Artificial intelligence has made unchecked advances in an unregulated environment, and while technically impressive, many of these advances impinge upon the public’s privacy and raise ethical concerns, he continued. Governments and the public are realizing that needs to change, however, Pelz-Sharpe said. “Questions such as whether an AI system is biased or explainable, for example, and who to hold responsible if they are biased and discriminate or simply get things wrong are being asked,” Pelz-Sharpe said.

Even so, he added that AI technology companies are motivated by growth, which can be at odds with designing AI systems that respect human rights, fairness and diversity.