Articles

17Oct

New Report Recommends Transparency Requirements for AI Systems

A new report from the Information Technology Industry Council (ITIC) offers recommendations "on facilitating public trust in and understanding of" artificial intelligence (AI) systems.

“As policymakers increasingly consider applying broad transparency requirements” for AI, the ITIC report urges policymakers to consider “the various different types of transparency that can be achieved. They should also consider the ultimate objective of and audience for transparency requirements; take a risk-based approach to transparency requirements; include clear definitions of what is meant by transparency; consider that there are different ways to approach transparency; consider including provisions within legislation that are intended to provide users with sufficient information to understand decisions of an AI system that may negatively affect their fundamental rights and provide users with the ability to review and/or challenge such decisions; ensure transparency requirements do not implicate sensitive IP or source code; leverage voluntary international standards; and consider the role of disclosure requirements.”

ITIC defines an AI system as “a machine-based system that can, for a given set of human-defined objectives, make predictions, recommendations, or decisions influencing real or virtual environments. AI systems are designed to operate with varying levels of autonomy.” The definition is derived from the OECD’s definition.

The Biden White House recently released their own blueprint for ethics in AI.

About the Author

Howard Fienberg

Based in Washington, DC, Howard is the Insights Association's lobbyist for the marketing research and data analytics industry, focusing primarily on consumer privacy and data security, the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), tort reform, and the funding and integrity of the decennial Census and the American Community Survey (ACS). Howard has more than two decades of public policy experience. Before the Insights Association, he worked in Congress as senior legislative staffer for then-Representatives Christopher Cox (CA-48) and Cliff Stearns (FL-06). He also served more than four years with a science policy think tank, working to improve the understanding of scientific and social research and methodology among journalists and policymakers. Howard is also co-director of The Census Project, a 900+ member coalition in support of a fair and accurate Census and ACS. He has also served previously on the Board of Directors for the National Institute for Lobbying and Ethics and and the Association of Government Relations Professionals. Howard has an MA International Relations from the University of Essex in England and a BA Honors Political Studies from Trent University in Canada, and has obtained the Certified Association Executive (CAE), Professional Lobbying Certificate (PLC) and the Public Policy Certificate (PPC). When not running advocacy for the Insights Association, Howard enjoys hockey, NFL football, sci-fi and horror movies, playing with his dog, and spending time with family and friends.