Transparency is something that people expect of organizations today, regardless of AI. From practices and products to how businesses engage with employees and customers, transparency is how an organization becomes a reputable partner, employer and goods/services provider.
But organizations can’t always be completely transparent. They can’t legally share confidential data, for instance, and wouldn’t want to divulge information that could damage their business. So firms already have to balance how much to share with their customers and stakeholders to maintain relations without giving away what makes the business competitive. According to Kumardev Chatterjee, CEO, technology innovator and entrepreneur and WEF recognized expert , it’s the same in the age of AI.
“Just because a company is AI-driven, it doesn’t mean that what is illegal to do today will become legal tomorrow,” Chatterjee explains. “Organizations aren’t going to start putting their employees’ confidential information online just because of AI. And just because it’s AI-driven doesn’t mean that an organization that has the right balance has to be more transparent than it is today.”
In Chatterjee’s opinion, the same issues will persist – just in an AI context. “As usual, it’s a question of communication, audience management and customer experience.” The only difference, he says, is that “AI will simply provide organizations with better tools to perform these tasks – such as helping organizations to better understand customer sentiment and so develop better customer experience strategies.”
The next question is how leaders can create AI processes that are ethical, safe and unbiased. For Chatterjee, the solution is twofold.
First, companies will need to hire for a new role – an AI auditor. “This will be an independently trained, legally and technically aware individual,” Chatterjee explains. “Someone who can tell organizations whether the processes they’re following are safe.”
Second, companies should address the larger question of AI practices within their industry. For this, Chatterjee believes it will be essential to have industry-led AI transparency standards.