Ethics by design e Ethics as a service

INTRODUCION

THE ETHIKAI INSTITUTE, “ETHICS AS A SERVICE”, IS A NON-PARTISAN, NON-PROFIT CIVIL ASSOCIATION (NGO) THAT HAS BEEN ACTIVE SINCE 2019. THE ORGANIZATION PROMOTES THE ETHICAL, RELIABLE, AND RESPONSIBLE USE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE FOR THE PUBLIC INTEREST. ETHIKAI IS COMMITTED WITH THE CONTRIBUTION OF DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP AND DEMOCRACY THROUGH DEMOCRATIC AND INCLUSIVE DIALOGUE.

MISSION AND VALUES

OUR CORE VALUES FOCUS ON A CRITICAL, DEMOCRATIC, INCLUSIVE, DECOLONIAL, AND INTERDISCIPLINARY APPROACH. WE AIM TO CONTRIBUTE TO SCIENTIFIC DISCUSSIONS AND MUTUAL ENRICHMENT BETWEEN DIFFERENT DISCIPLINES. FURTHERMORE, WE PRODUCE MATERIAL WITH LANGUAGE ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC, EXPANDING DIGITAL EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP.

THE AIM IS TO ACHIEVE EXCELLENCE AS A CENTER AT NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL LEVELS. THEREFORE, WE FOCUS ON PRODUCING SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE, EDUCATIONAL, AWARENESS-RAISING ACTIONS, COVERING ETHICAL, SOCIAL, AND LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS REGARDING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE APPLICATIONS. THE INSTITUTE PRIORITIZE THINKING AND WORKING MORE SUSTAINABLY, WHICH WE CALL “LIFE CENTER AI.” ALSO, TO PROTECT HUMAN AND FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS IN A SYSTEMIC, PROACTIVE, AND COMPREHENSIVE WAY. THESE APPROACHES INVOLVE THE CONCEPTS OF “PROTECTION BY DESIGN,” “SECURITY BY DESIGN,” “ETHICS BY DESIGN,” DEMOCRATIC RULE OF LAW FROM CONCEPTION, AND “FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS BY DESIGN.”

OUR VALUES STAND OUT REGARDING SOCIAL COMMITMENT, DEMOCRATIC, INCLUSIVE, DECOLONIAL AI, INTEGRITY, AND TRANSPARENCY IN ALLOCATING RESOURCES OBTAINED VIA ETHICAL FINANCING. WE VALUE SCIENTIFIC INDEPENDENCE AND AUTONOMY, RESPONSIBILITY, AND ACCOUNTABILITY. TRUSTING IN AN INTERDISCIPLINARY AND TRANSVERSAL PERSPECTIVE OF GENDER, RACE, AND CLASS, TO PROMOTE, AND TO DEVELOP SCIENTIFIC THOUGHT AND REDUCING SOCIAL AND POWER ASYMMETRIES.

INTERDISCIPLINARY, DEMOCRATIC, DECOLONIAL, INCLUSIVE, AND INDEPENDENT APPROACH.

An inclusive, independent, decolonial, critical, non- partisan approach is essential for a group with multidisciplinary, multi-stakeholder, multi-ethnic representation, composed of researchers of high national and international renown, to translate ethical principles, good practices, and “frameworks” for AI, in a broad proposal for Artificial Intelligence governance, under the Brazilian geographic and cultural reality as a country in the Global South, and with the specificities of the application of AI and the market field.

DEMOCRATIC RULE OF LAW FROM CONCEPTION - FUNDAMENTAL AND HUMAN RIGHTS BY DESIGN

This scientific initiative aims to explore the intersection between Artificial Intelligence, new technologies, and humanities, aiming to assist companies and government bodies in the implementation of their fields by structuring AI regulation and governance strategies. It also aims to draft public policies that promote responsible, ethical innovation (meta- innovation) while providing adequate and systemic protection for fundamental and human rights. Our approach is to achieve a Democratic State of Law since its conception. Instead of considering innovation and rights protection as a zero-sum game, combining efforts in both areas will lead to better results.

SOCIAL JUSTICE AND ALGORITHMIC JUSTICE INTELLIGENCE GOVERNANCE

We understand that only with adequate and systemic protection of human and fundamental rights will we be able to discuss social and algorithmic justice. For a Democratic State of Law to qualify as such, it demands protecting such rights for all parts of the population. Through the systemic protection of such rights, we intend to achieve the “Democratic State of Law since conception, “contributing to the “digital constitutionalism” movement to reduce the asymmetries of power existing in society and join efforts for a more equitable and equal society

FIELDS OF ACTIVITY - THEMATIC CENTERS

Public policy, regulatory, social, ethical, and governance considerations relating to artificial Intelligence, digital constitutionalism, protection of fundamental and human rights, democracy, economics, digital sovereignty, surveillance, techno- feudalism, AI philosophy, information philosophy, smart cities, internet of things, digital law, connectivity, fostering innovation, risk analysis, compliance, regulation, data governance, and algorithmic governance, digital transformation and society, intercultural digital ethics, digital citizenship, “fake news,” disinformation, hate of speech, racism and digital discrimination, open data, cybersecurity, information, and data society, critical studies, social justice, design justice, ethical and technological design, “privacy by design and default,” fundamental rights “by design,” Epistemologies of the South, decolonial studies, Democratic Rule of Law since its conception.

ASSIST COMPANIES AND GOVERNMENT BODIES IN IMPLEMENTING AND STRUCTURING AI STRATEGIES TO PROMOTE, ON THE ONE HAND, RESPONSIBLE INNOVATION, AND ETHICS AND, ON THE OTHER HAND, PROVIDE ADEQUATE AND SYSTEMIC PROTECTION OF FUNDAMENTAL AND HUMAN RIGHTS.

CARRYING OUT STUDIES, TRAINING, COURSES, DEVELOPMENT, AND ANALYSIS OF COMPLIANCE INSTRUMENTS, REPORTS, OPINIONS, TECHNICAL NOTES, AND SCIENTIFIC ARTICLES ON ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (BENCHMARKING AND LEADERBOARDS), BRINGING INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS TO NEW PROBLEMS AND CHALLENGES IN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE.

PROMOTE SCIENTIFIC MATERIAL AND EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES TO RAISE SOCIAL AWARENESS AND CONTRIBUTE TO DEVELOPING PUBLIC POLICIES IN THESE AREAS.

ALGORITHMIC AUDIT, AI GOVERNANCE CONSULTANCY, AND ALGORITHMIC IMPACT ASSESSMENT IT INVOLVES FIRST CONDUCTING AN ALGORITHMIC AUDIT BY AN INTERDISCIPLINARY AND MULTI – ETHNIC TEAM, ABOUT POTENTIAL RISKS, PROBABILITY, AND SCOPE OF HARM TO FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS IN A PARTICULAR AI APPLICATION, IN ORDER TO PRODUCE A DUE DILIGENCE REPORT THAT WILL CONTAIN OBSERVATIONS ABOUT THE RISKS FOUND, AND PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING CONCRETE RISK MITIGATION MEASURES AND GOVERNANCE MEASURES TO BE ADOPTED. INTERNATIONALLY ACCEPTED AND ESTABLISHED FRAMEWORKS (ISO, NIST, OECD, EUROPEAN COMMISSION/FRA EUROPA) WILL BE USED IN THE INITIAL ANALYSIS; SUBSEQUENTLY, A SECOND REPORT IS PREPARED BASED ON A SECOND AUDIT BASED ON THE FRAMEWORK DEVELOPED BY THE ETHIKAI INSTITUTE, FOCUSING NOT ONLY ON ETHICAL ISSUES OR CASES OF BIAS, BUT ALSO ANALYZING THE POTENTIAL IMPACT ON ALL FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS, INCLUDING THE ENVIRONMENT, AND LOOKING AT THE SOCIO-CULTURAL PARTICULARITIES OF BRAZIL (IN THE CASE OF THE BRAZILIAN TARGET AUDIENCE). DURING THIS PROCESS, DATA PROTECTION STANDARDS AND OTHER RELEVANT STANDARDS WILL BE ADOPTED AND OBSERVED, ENSURING THE SECURITY AND PROTECTION OF PRIVACY FROM A DUAL PERSPECTIVE, BOTH BY ETHIKAI AND BY CLIENTS. DURING THIS IMPLEMENTATION PHASE, WORKSHOPS AND TRAINING SESSIONS ARE ALSO CONDUCTED FOR THE TEAMS INVOLVED IN THE PROCESSES