Why do we need responsible AI in the Metaverse?, Marketing & Advertising News, ET BrandEquity

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by Lindsey Francy Mar 13, 2023 News
Why do we need responsible AI in the Metaverse?, Marketing & Advertising News, ET BrandEquity
<p>Representative image</p>
Representative image

The metaverse has been defined differently by different stakeholders from being described as a virtual world by Matthew Ball to being seen as the new iteration of the internet or being considered as a point in time at which our digital identities become more meaningful to us than our physical lives by Shaan Puri. Irrespective of the definition, the metaverse is growing at an exponential rate with a recent Bloomberg Intelligence report estimating it as an $800 billion market.The metaverse is increasingly recognized as a fertile ground for innovation from which all kinds of new markets, products & services arise. However, before being carried away with the potential opportunities it is necessary to better understand the human motivations for seeking the metaverse as these when manipulated can cause governance, privacy & ethical challenges. There are three key human motivations I have gathered from different research:Escapism: The metaverse is an artificial world that can provide an escape for those who are finding the real world very scary or limiting. If we’re driven by fear, it can draw us out of the real world and offer us a place to hide. If we’re consumed by boredom, it can provide us with an irresistible opportunity for excitement. The metaverse can provide greater control and agency over one’s own life. Temporary relief may be ok, but the metaverse can be designed to be addictive. Participants will find themselves spending more and more time in the metaverse, leaving the real world behind. Of course, for many metaverse designers, that’s what they’re seeking, to make the metaverse an all-consuming experience.Fantasy: The metaverse offers opportunities for personal and professional growth and to pursue passions that one may have only fantasised about. People have multiple personas and express themselves in various ways depending on the group or situation. An avatar is a medium that projects one’s identity within virtual spaces. As the avatar grows, the user’s intimacy increases, becoming more immersed in the metaverse. However, addiction (e.g., internet, video games) and excessive immersion result in confusion and lack of interest in the incongruity with the real world

A new identity is embodied in virtual environments byavatars. The desires and feelings of the real person can be seen in their appearance and behavior. The operators of virtual platforms may be able to manipulate the avatar in certain ways.

In all of the above scenarios, artificial intelligence (AI) plays a pivotal role in the metaverse from complex AI algorithms powering infrastructure to being the merged interface through virtual assistants & avatars to accelerating creation of content, driving customer experiences and industrial solutions.Together whilst AI & Extended Reality (XR) can enable us to understand and amplify ourselves and in the process expand the possibilities of the human experience we are also familiar with the perils of unsafe & unethical AI systems. We have seen how it can create gender, ethnic & racial biases, perpetuate inequality, violate privacy, increase data & cybersecurity vulnerabilities, personal safety challenges, inhibit transparency & add to the climate crisis. When AI powers language, chatbots or brands’ virtual realities, there are numerous opportunities to lose customer trust or lack of humanity.

Privacy and security issues are not fully understood by organizations and nations. There aren't enough qualified people to deal with the complexity of the architecture and develop secure solutions for the metaverse The nature of the metaverse means that there are no boundaries when it comes to the transfer and processing of data outside the EU. The location of the subject's home country or citizenship doesn't matter when it comes to theGDPR.

So can we look to the location based on the person operating the avatar, or is it more appropriate to look at the avatar itself, since it’s the avatar’s data that will be processed? And if we look to the avatar’s location, how would we determine which jurisdiction the metaverse falls under? These are all questions already being debated across multiple forumsAdditionally, hackers can steal digital avatars in the metaverse. In an immersive virtual setting, it could be possible to manipulate users & cause them physical harm. Likewise, some offenders in the current Internet may modify their behaviours in the metaverse, for example, assaulting the avatars instead of cyberbullying.There have also been concerns that enemy states may engage in a new kind of cyberwarfare using the metaverse to attack each other. For instance, adversary states may target biometric data, financial information, and other digital assets. Some have also pointed to the possibility of the emergence of geopolitical dimensions in the metaverse. And we have seen some of this play out in the recent Ukraine Russia war.Operational, financial, legal, reputational & sustainability risks of AI failures are real & the current real world models & governance may not suffice.

It is important to counter the risks and challenges of Responsible Artificial Intelligence. Responsible Artificial Intelligence is the practice of designing, developing, andDeploying Artificial Intelligence with good intentions to empower employees, businesses, and society.

We may not be able to scale artificial intelligence if there is no Responsible Artificial Intelligence. The vision of Responsible Artificial Intelligence has been embraced by businesses, nations and international bodies. 175 companies, governments, civil society organizations and academic institutions are members of the World Economic Forum's Global Artificial Intelligence Action Alliance.

Bringing in the human motivation lens, Responsible AI should be inspired by the values & principles of fairness, transparency, diversity and inclusivity, explainability & equality to build frameworks needed for managing a responsible & ethical approach to designing, managing & operating in the metaverse. We always talk about putting humans at the centre of technology. We need to do this with the metaverse.Whilst much work has been done towards framing the principles and policies of Responsible AI, organisations often struggle with implementing it successfully. Some of the potential barriers and challenges include Responsible AI being cross functional but living in a silo; absence or limited AI risk management, scarcity of talent and the need for new Responsible AI KPIs definition.

There is a gap between the potential of Responsible Artificial Intelligence and what is actually available. Key pillars are developing principles, policies and training, establishing human and artificial intelligence governance, conducting reviews and integrating tools and methods. The World Economic Forum, Carnegie Council and others are working on frameworks to shift from artificial intelligence to competitive advantage.

We need to cultivate the metaverse in such a way that it not only serves as a brilliant playground for humans to identify and simulate new opportunities & take action on them but also build models & governance that enable responsibility & accountability aligned with the values & priorities for the well- being of society at largeEmbracing Responsible AI can play a key role in accelerating this journey in building trust, fostering a humanistic & inclusive society, enabling sustainable value creation and an environmentally safe metaverse.Towards building trust there’s going to be a need to reskill the workforce to take advantage of the metaverse.. Policymakers & regulators will need to create people-centric policies. An empathy-first approach can help ensure the metaverse augments human potential.To foster a humanistic & inclusive world we need to ensure there is no manipulation of human emotions. Whilst designing experiences & outcomes there should be a balance between what is in the best interest of the participants & the interests of those who are creating these environments. Building privacy, security, safety into the underlying technology needs to be a prioritySimilarly, building spaces that are escapes from the real world can help guide human intention and action to addressing increasingly urgent societal challenges like climate change, economic inequality, authoritarian political movements impact on overall society’s wellbeing.

According to McKinsey, the metaverse can create up to $5 trillion in impact by the year 2030. We need to think about green software approaches to make the metaverse more sustainable.

The seamless nature of the transition between physical & virtual & the multimodal enhancement of our experiences & interactions opens an endless scope of possibilities, many of which perhaps beyond our current comprehension. The key is to be aware and understand human beings changing motivations for seeking the metaverse over time as their experiences and interests evolve and ensure the same is aligned with the value system for building a responsible and accountable ecosystem

The new generation of socially conscious consumers don't see discrimination as a necessity. They are not afraid to speak out or act against discrimination because of their liberal values. Young consumers will move on if you are not socially conscious.


It was published on March 13th, 2023.

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