Eticas Foundation

Continuing our series on #AI accountability, we’re excited to share insights from the second report authored by Gemma Galdon Clavell, PhD, president of the Board at Eticas Foundation, commissioned by the European Data Protection Board (EDPB). This report proposes AI Leaflets, an innovative approach to enhancing transparency and accountability in AI systems. 📰 What are AI Leaflets? AI Leaflets are concise, user-friendly documents designed to communicate key information about an AI system’s design, purpose, and impact. Much like nutrition labels for food, these leaflets empower users and stakeholders with the knowledge they need to understand and evaluate AI systems. 💡 Why do AI leaflets matter? They make complex systems understandable to non-experts and equip users with the tools to ask critical questions and hold systems accountable. 📢 This is the second report in a series of three! Next week, we’ll dive into the final report, which offers practical steps to implement ethical AI practices. 📄 Read the full report: https://lnkd.in/eqqvH_EH Let us know your thoughts on using AI Leaflets for accountability in the comments! 👇

Yesterday, the world came together to recognize the International Day of Persons with Disabilities—a day to reflect and commit to building a more inclusive future. But as #technology rapidly evolves, are we truly ensuring that innovation benefits everyone? Our recent audit, "Invisible No More: The Impact of Facial Recognition on People with Disabilities", highlights an uncomfortable truth: many #AI systems, like facial recognition, inadvertently perpetuate #bias, leaving people with disabilities behind. 🔍 Key findings: Age prediction bias: For individuals with Down Syndrome, age prediction errors soared to 7.19%, compared to 4.45% for others. These inaccuracies affect areas like insurance pricing and further exacerbate inequality. Gender disparities: Women are often underestimated in age, while men are overestimated—biases that are magnified for individuals with Down Syndrome. One case estimated a 23-year-old woman as only 5 years old. BMI: Azul's algorithm showed overestimations, particularly for women, raising concerns about equitable insurance premiums and healthcare decisions. 💡 What needs to change? The future of technology must embrace #accessibility by design. Here’s how we can move forward: ✅ Design systems with #transparency and clear bias mitigation strategies. ✅ Collaborate with #disability advocacy groups for insights. ✅ Fund research into AI-disability intersections to promote fairer, smarter systems. ✅ Prioritize responsible auditing to uncover and address hidden biases. Technology holds incredible promise to empower, but only if it's inclusive. Let’s renew our commitment to equity in AI and champion #diversity and #inclusivity. Read the full audit here: https://lnkd.in/dp_A2dBj

The European Data Protection Board’s Checklist for AI Auditing: A milestone for Responsible AI. We're excited to highlight the first in a series of three reports authored by Gemma Galdon Clavell, PhD, Board President of Eticas Foundation, commissioned by the European Data Protection Board (EDPB). This report introduces a Checklist for AI Auditing, an essential tool for ensuring that AI systems are ethical, fair, and compliant with European data protection standards. 🛠️ What is AI Auditing? An AI audit is a critical process to assess how #AI systems operate in practice, focusing on their fairness, safety, and compliance with regulations. It’s a cornerstone for promoting transparency and accountability in AI systems. 💡 The report emphasizes regular audits across the lifecycle of AI systems—pre-processing, in-processing, and post-processing—to maintain ethical alignment and safety over time. 🛡️ By adopting this checklist, organizations can not only comply with data protection standards but also foster trust through #transparency. This is just the beginning! Over the next few weeks, we’ll be sharing insights from the remaining two reports in the series, so stay tuned! 📄 Read the full report: https://lnkd.in/dznQ_sbW Let us know how your organization is tackling AI ethics and compliance in the comments! 👇 #ResponsibleAI #AIEthics #Techforgood #AIAuditing

🟠 Yesterday was International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against #Women – a day to reflect on the systemic challenges women face and to amplify efforts to protect them. At Eticas Foundation, we marked the occasion by shedding light on a critical issue: the flaws in the #VioGen system. This algorithm determines the level of risk faced by a victim of gender-based violence and establishes her protection measures in Spain. It is the largest risk assessment system in the world, with more than 3 million registered cases. Our findings highlight significant concerns: - Overreliance on algorithmic decisions. Although designed as a recommendation tool, police officers adhere to the system's automatic risk assessments in 95% of cases, effectively allowing the algorithm to dictate protection measures. - High rate of 'unappreciated' risk scores. Approximately 45% of cases are assigned an 'unappreciated' risk level, potentially leaving many victims without adequate protection. - Lack of transparency and accountability. The system's operations lack independent oversight, and most studies have been conducted by individuals involved in its development, raising concerns about objectivity. These issues underscore the urgent need for comprehensive audits of systems like VioGén to ensure they effectively protect those they are designed to serve. 💡 Please read our full report to learn more about our findings and recommendations: https://lnkd.in/eSJrKAEc

Monday #AIGovernance and #Fairness Digest: All you need to know on November 25th    🌎 #Biden’s final meeting with Xi Jinping reaps agreement on #AI and nukes https://lnkd.in/dtBjnhfy 🌎 AI increasingly used for sextortion, scams and #child abuse, says senior #UK police chief https://lnkd.in/giP-AJSj 🇺🇸 #NIH-developed AI #algorithm matches potential volunteers to clinical trials https://lnkd.in/gShwnKwH 🇺🇸 State Department reveals new interagency task force on detecting #AI-generated content https://lnkd.in/dPi8DUi9

🌱 🤖 We need your voice! Every click, search, and interaction in our digital world leaves a trace—not just in data, but on the #environment. At the Eticas Foundation, we're on a mission to uncover the energy costs behind the tools we rely on daily, from search engines to #LLMs. Our quick (and anonymous!) survey will help us understand how these technologies are used and their environmental impact. With your input, we can shape greener tech solutions and advocate for sustainable digital practices. ⏳ It only takes 5 minutes to make a difference. Let’s work together for a sustainable digital future! 👇 https://lnkd.in/eKvCnbsG

Monday #AIGovernance and #Fairness Digest: All you need to know on November 18th    🌎 #Singapore releases a new #AI adoption playbook for the public sector https://lnkd.in/dFnbkDbX 🌎 Only five percent of #Africa’s AI talent has the compute power it needs https://lnkd.in/dzi7v34n 🇺🇸 #California lawmakers target AI-fueled fraud in new House bill https://lnkd.in/dB8Pf7gM 🇺🇸 #Anthropic confirms to be working with the Department of Energy's nuclear specialists to ensure AI Safety https://lnkd.in/dngTUUeJ 🇺🇸 OPM Supports AI Executive Order with 250 AI Specialists, Expanded #Hiring, and Training for 18,000 Employees https://lnkd.in/dUsqzrPK 🇪🇺 #Denmark’s renowned safety net turns into a political battleground as AI and algorithms target #welfare recipients https://lnkd.in/dpC32H48 🇪🇺 #Iceland presents its action plan for AI until the year 2026 https://lnkd.in/dbRgNyS5

AI and the 2024 U.S. Elections: A Post-Election Reflection As the dust settles on the 2024 U.S. elections, it's clear the intersection of #AI and democratic processes demands urgent attention. Our recent Public Interest Audit at Eticas Foundation uncovered alarming patterns of #misinformation from AI tools during this pivotal election cycle, with potential implications for voters in key swing states. Key takeaways from our findings: 📉 Misinformation across political lines: Despite varied safeguards, all six AI models studied shared inaccurate election data, blurring truths in critical voter decisions. 🌍 Marginalized groups disproportionately impacted: Black, Latino, elderly, and other vulnerable communities faced heightened risks of encountering misleading information. 🔐 Safeguards under scrutiny: Even “restricted” models offered electoral data, revealing gaps in AI governance during high-stakes moments like elections. As we reflect on the role of #AIethics and #transparency in shaping democratic integrity, the need for regulation, accountability, and AI literacy is more urgent than ever. Explore our full report to understand how AI could have impacted the 2024 elections—and the path forward to ensure future elections uphold democratic ideals: https://lnkd.in/eFinMKT4 💬 Let’s spark a conversation: How can we make AI a force for democratic good rather than disruption? #Elections2024 #AIMisinformation #DemocracyInTheDigitalAge

⚖️ #AIGovernance and Fairness Digest: All you need to know on November 12th 🇨🇦 Even more organizations adopting #Canada’s voluntary code of conduct on artificial intelligence development https://lnkd.in/giVpTkdf 🇨🇳 PRC Adapts #Meta’s #Llama for Military and Security #AI Applications https://lnkd.in/eNe6HQvw 🇺🇸 Trump promised to repeal Biden’s AI executive order https://lnkd.in/eJ4iybmX 🇺🇸 #OpenAI further expands its generative AI work with the federal government https://lnkd.in/eJCSKrdt 🇺🇸 US #Labor Department launches inclusive AI #hiring framework https://lnkd.in/eamTpiZS 🇪🇺 Ireland launches its National AI Strategy Refresh 2024 https://lnkd.in/efwsd2Ax

#AIGovernance and #Fairness Digest: All you need to know on November 5th    🌎 Chinese researchers develop #AI model for military use on back of Meta's Llama https://lnkd.in/ehcsg2Y8 🇺🇸 Nearly 60 militaries now endorse #US-launched pledge on ‘#responsible AI’ https://lnkd.in/eE7s6zNp 🇺🇸 Department of #Education releases AI toolkit to guide responsible use of AI in education https://lnkd.in/d28E4nQu 🇺🇸 Meta is pushing for the #government to use its AI https://lnkd.in/dDfRtZ7H 🇪🇺 EU Commission warns overlapping rules offer #loopholes for Big Tech https://lnkd.in/eGJMFkfj