Global Initiative to set new design standards for autonomous systems including robotics and vehicles.

Are you afraid of the uprising of Artificial Intelligence (AI)? Well, fear no more.
IEEE recently announced the launch of a new IEEE Standards Association (IEEE-SA) Industry Connections program: The Global Initiative for Ethical Consideration in the Design of Autonomous Systems.
As stated in a document released by IEEE, up until now “ethics” has usually referred to professional conduct, privacy, safety and so on. However, autonomous systems have now changed how we should define ethics.
But before anyone brings up Isaac Asimov’s three laws of robotics, we’re not that far along yet.
The Global Initiative for Ethical Consideration in the Design of Autonomous Systems
IEEE cites the rise of personalization, tracking and surveillance as only some of the modern technologies that are designed to help humanity but are prone to abuse. Rather than dictate whether such systems are ethical to use, IEEE asks, “How can we pragmatically implement ethical design and methodologies without hindering innovation? That’s what we’re here to figure out.”
The new Global Initiative summarizes that its mission is: “To ensure every technologist is educated, trained and empowered to prioritize ethical considerations in the design and development of autonomous and intelligent systems.”
The initiative defines these systems as:
- Robotics
- AI
- Computational Intelligence
- Machine Learning
- Deep Learning
- Cognitive Computing
- Affective Computing
- Algorithmically-based programs

“Technologies, methodologies and systems that are intended to reduce human intervention are poised to transform the lives of individuals in a multitude of unique and beneficial ways,” said Konstantinos Karachalios, managing director for IEEE-SA.
“As machines increasingly assist humans in a multitude of critical and sensitive tasks, it is important to prioritize the use of ethical considerations in the design of these emergent systems,” Karachalios continued. “This new initiative will help ensure that we are working to advance technology for humanity under principled disciplines.”
Tackling Ethical Issues Inherent to Autonomous Systems
The initiative hopes to attract members across the fields of engineering, law, science, economics, philosophy, politics and health.
Several committees will provide potential standardization projects and language for codes of conduct regarding ethics and autonomous systems for discussion in open working groups. In addition, an executive committee is comprised of experts in autonomous technologies and ethics. This committee will provide strategic guidance for activities and for the initiative’s overall work.
The initiative’s committees already include representatives from the UN, the World Economic Forum and the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI) among other organizations and universities.
Aspiring innovators shouldn’t be discouraged from joining, however. The initiative aims to be open and inclusive, “welcoming all individuals or representatives of organizations dedicated to ethical considerations in the design of autonomous systems.”

There are many ethical debates behind self-driving vehicles and how they may change the rules of the road and shift responsibility for accidents, along with other effects on the automotive industry.
Currently, the initiative is in the process of creating a charter, which features top issues related to autonomous technology and is designed as a code of conduct. An “Alliance,” currently in development, will act as a member-based organization to house the charter and other works.
Certification and training programs will be developed to demonstrate how innovation can be increased by the adoption of values-based AI in governments, corporations and communities.
The initiative will also operate under the Industry Connections (IC) program to form new standards and related products and services.
Ethics, Society & Technology Program
The Global Initiative is part of a broader IEEE effort on ethics in technology, which includes a new Ethics, Society and Technology Program focused on creating and expanding debates, dialog and conversation so that all aspects of an ethics issue are examined.
Initiative participants will have their first face-to-face meeting at the European Conference on Artificial Intelligence (ECAI), to be held in August 2016 in The Hague, Netherlands.
For more information, visit standards.ieee.org.