The Rotary Club of Edmonton Whyte Avenue was joined by University of Alberta Associate Professor Nidhi Hegde, who talked about the fascinating world of ethics in A.I and the privacy implications around machine learning.
Professor Hegde explained A.I. to members and how, to quote John McCarthy, it "is the science and engineering of making intelligent machines, especially intelligent computer programs." A.I. essentially refers to solving problems using algorithms on a computer. However, Professor Hegde noted that a problem is that A.I. often has privacy implications. Professor Hegde gave the example of a Netflix survey in 2006 which led to datasets that were easily de-anonymized, ultimately leading to Netflix being sued over privacy issues.
She also talked about some of the other ethical issues related to machine learning, including bias in facial recognition software and data collection through social media.
Professor Hegde indicated that there is still a long way to go towards having ethical A.I. as well as to ensuring people's privacy is protected and data is used for the right reasons. Professor Hegde noted a positive development in this area, mentioning a European Union (EU) regulation called the General Data Protection Regulation, which is designed to protect and empower all EU citizens data privacy and reshape the way organizations across the region approach data privacy.
An exciting and informative presentation, thank you Nidhi Hegde for presenting and thank you to everyone who joined us!