How to teach AI ethics? a pragmatist approach to ethical competency

Abstract

"Artificial intelligence systems (AIS) are increasingly becoming an integral part of our various spheres of activity and include things like recommendation algorithms that generate the content presented in our news feed on social networks, voice assistants, autonomous cars, methods for screening certain cancers, conversational robots used for tutoring purposes, or the identification of students at risk of failure or dropout. Although this technology is promising in several respects, the numerous research studies that have been devoted to the issue over the past decade (Tsamados, 2021; Bruneault and Sabourin Laflamme, 2021) have identified several ethical and social issues associated with its use, such as the risks of bias, algorithmic discrimination or violation of privacy rights. These issues concern both the people who design the algorithms, the companies that use them, the users, and the people who work in the sectors transformed by the use of AIS. Given the automation of professional practices that is expected in the next few years (Conseil interprofessionnel du Québec, 2021), most people who graduate from a Quebec college will eventually be confronted with these issues, whether in their work, their academic career, their civic activities or their personal life."--AQPC