AI Ethics

By Rick Robinson

Artificial intelligence (AI) is now part of our everyday lives — and while it does not take the science-fiction form of humanoid robots functioning at the level of a human (yet), AI implementations are already capable of making independent decisions, at a rapid pace. However, AI has well-documented challenges related to data bias, vulnerability and explainability. Northrop Grumman is working with U.S. Government organizations to develop policies for what tests need to be completed and documented to determine if an AI model is sufficiently safe, secure, and ethical for DoD use.

The DoD's Defense Innovation Board (DIB) has responded to AI challenges with the AI Principles Project, which initially set out five ethical principles that AI development for DoD should meet: AI should be responsible, equitable, traceable, reliable and governable. To operationalize these DIB principles, AI software development should also be auditable and robust against threats.

These concerns in themselves are not new. People have worried about AI ethics since they first imagined robots. These ethical principles reflect this history and will help us get the most out of automation while limiting its risks. Here, three Northrop Grumman AI experts highlight the importance and complexity of implementing the DIB’s AI Principles in national defense.