Biases in AI: acknowledging and addressing the inevitable ethical issues

Bjørn Hofmann^1,2*

• ¹Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
• ²University of Oslo, Oslo, Oslo, Norway

Biases in artificial intelligence (AI) systems pose a range of ethical issues. The myriads of biases in AI systems are briefly reviewed and divided in three main categories: input bias, system bias, and application bias. These biases pose a series of basic ethical challenges: injustice, bad output/outcome, loss of autonomy, transformation of basic concepts and values, and erosion of accountability. A review of the many ways to identify, measure, and mitigate these biases reveals commendable efforts to avoid or reduce bias; however, it also highlights the persistence of unresolved biases. Residual and undetected biases present epistemic challenges with substantial ethical implications. The article further investigates whether the general principles, checklists, guidelines, frameworks, or regulations of AI ethics could address the identified ethical issues with bias. Unfortunately, the depth and diversity of these challenges often exceed the capabilities of existing approaches. Consequently, the article suggests that we must acknowledge and accept some residual ethical issues related to biases in AI systems. By utilizing insights from ethics and moral psychology, we can better navigate this landscape. To maximize the benefits and minimize the harms of biases in AI, it is imperative to identify and mitigate existing biases and remain transparent about the consequences of those we cannot eliminate. This necessitates close collaboration between scientists and ethicists.