Apply the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Ethics Principles at each phase of the AI system lifecycle.
The AI lifecycle includes:
- design, data and modelling (such as planning, data collection and model building)
- development and validation (such as training and testing)
- deployment
- monitoring and refinement (including when fixing any problems that occur).
When to apply these principles
The principles are entirely voluntary. They are designed to prompt organisations to consider the impact of using AI enabled systems.
Not every principle will be relevant to your use of AI.
Not every business uses AI, and not every use of AI requires comprehensive analysis against the principles. For example, many businesses use systems that may incorporate AI such as email or accounting software. This use is unlikely to be of sufficient impact to require the use of the principles.
If your AI use doesn’t involve or affect human beings, you may not need to consider all of the principles.
Consider these questions
To help decide whether you should apply these ethical principles, consider the following threshold questions. If you answer ‘yes’ then applying the principles could help you plan for better outcomes.
- Will the AI system you are developing or implementing be used to make decisions or in other ways have a significant impact (positive or negative) on people (including marginalised groups), the environment or society?
- Are you unsure about how the AI system may impact your organisation or your customers/clients?
Give us feedback
Are you using the AI Ethics Principles in your work? Let us know your feedback by emailing Artificial.Intelligence@industry.gov.au.