Digital ethics - guidelines for artificial intelligence

Against the backdrop of the growing importance of AI and the resulting impact on society, business and politics, the BVDW's "Artificial Intelligence Expert Group", made up of representatives from various association bodies, has agreed on eight guidelines for dealing with artificial intelligence.

BVDW Vice President Marco Zingler explains:

"AI is an economic competitive factor. However, the focus is no longer just on the technical possibilities offered by AI. We have the ambition to deal with the development in a much more holistic way. The focus is no longer only on what AI can do, but increasingly also on what it should not be able to do."

For example, the digital industry will work to initiate an exchange at eye level involving society, business and politics.

"To remain globally competitive, the European digital economy must act as one"

demands the BVDW Vice President.

Above all, however, clarifying fundamental ethical issues in accordance with the association's AI guidelines is a mandatory prerequisite for the technology's breakthrough. Zingler explains:

"This requires trust, which the industry can only create through transparency and continuous education. Massive changes are to be expected on the labor market in particular - here, we as an industry have a responsibility to establish new job profiles, also to compensate for jobs that are being eliminated, and to advocate for the development of corresponding AI competencies.

After all, AI offers enormous potential for Germany as an industrial location. With our guidelines, we are providing important orientation for the digital economy."

AI will shape the digital economy this year like no other development.

"In many discussions, AI is confused with just automation"

says Marco Zingler.

"But that in no way does justice to the potential of this development."