The Center for Data Innovation submitted feedback to the European Commission’s High-Level Expert Group (HLEG) on AI on its draft AI Ethics Guidelines for Trustworthy AI. The guidelines aim to provide concrete guidance on how to implement and operationalize “trustworthy AI” systems that “maximize the benefits of AI while minimizing its risks.” While this goal is worthwhile, the guidelines have five main problems: 1) they present an overall negative tone towards AI; 2) they overlook the importance of EU leadership on AI adoption as a means of influencing global AI ethics; 3) they incorrectly suggest that developing a European AI ethics governance system will allow the EU to significantly differentiate its AI solutions, thereby gaining global market share; 4) they inaccurately frame AI as a technology that requires ethical tradeoffs, instead of one that can be used to improve ethical behavior; and 5) they propose principles such as transparency and explainability that would limit AI development.
Recommendations to the European Commission’s High-Level Expert Group on AI on its “Draft AI Ethics Guidelines for Trustworthy AI”
Eline Chivot
Eline Chivot is a former senior policy analyst at the Center for Data Innovation. Based in Brussels, Eline focuses on European technology policy issues and on how policymakers can promote digital innovation in the EU. Prior to joining the Center for Data Innovation, Eline Chivot worked for several years in the Netherlands as policy analyst in a leading think tank, where her work included research projects on defense, security and economic policy issues. More recently, Eline worked at one of Brussels’ largest trade associations and managed its relations with representatives of the digital tech industry in Europe and beyond. Eline earned master’s degrees in political science and economics from Sciences Po, and in strategic management and business administration from the University of Lille.
Daniel Castro
Daniel Castro is the director of the Center for Data Innovation and vice president of the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation. Mr. Castro writes and speaks on a variety of issues related to information technology and internet policy, including data, privacy, security, intellectual property, internet governance, e-government, and accessibility for people with disabilities. His work has been quoted and cited in numerous media outlets, including The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, NPR, USA Today, Bloomberg News, and Businessweek. In 2013, Mr. Castro was named to FedScoop’s list of “Top 25 most influential people under 40 in government and tech.” In 2015, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker appointed Mr. Castro to the Commerce Data Advisory Council. Mr. Castro previously worked as an IT analyst at the Government Accountability Office (GAO) where he audited IT security and management controls at various government agencies. He contributed to GAO reports on the state of information security at a variety of federal agencies, including the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). In addition, Mr. Castro was a Visiting Scientist at the Software Engineering Institute (SEI) in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where he developed virtual training simulations to provide clients with hands-on training of the latest information security tools. He has a B.S. in Foreign Service from Georgetown University and an M.S. in Information Security Technology and Management from Carnegie Mellon University.
