Core Concepts
Addressing the ethical challenges of Artificial Intelligence in Neural Machine Translation (NMT) systems, emphasizing the imperative for developers to ensure fairness, cultural sensitivity, and responsible development practices.
Abstract
This paper examines the ethical considerations in the development and deployment of Neural Machine Translation (NMT) systems. It adopts a comprehensive approach, addressing ethical challenges at various stages of the NMT workflow, including data handling, privacy, data ownership, consent, and model training.
The authors first present their empirical studies, which involved creating a Luganda-English parallel corpus, employing efficient training techniques, enhancing data labeling, and fine-tuning language models. This is complemented by a thorough literature review, extracting relevant insights from academic databases and credible grey literature.
The paper delves into key ethical concerns, such as:
- Adherence to data sharing and usage licenses
- Respecting copyrights on data tools
- Ensuring user privacy and data credibility
- Mitigating bias in translation datasets and preserving cultural representation
- Navigating the ethical implications of AI-assisted and human-annotated data labeling
- Addressing imbalances and biases in NMT model training
- Upholding transparency and reproducibility in research publications
The authors also explore the complex question of whether AI models can possess ethical considerations, and the attribution of responsibility for the actions and outputs of these systems. Incorporating a biblical perspective, the paper examines how ancient texts can contribute to the modern discourse on AI ethics, offering a broader, more holistic view of the ethical landscape in technology.
The paper concludes by providing recommendations for developers to prioritize ethical practices in creating NMT systems that are not only efficient but also fair, transparent, and culturally sensitive. It emphasizes the importance of comprehensive education and the adoption of a stewardship mindset, where developers recognize their societal responsibility in shaping the impact of their technological creations.
Stats
"Ethics, as an academic discipline, refers to the systematic inquiry and practical application of principles and values that serve as guiding frameworks for shaping human behavior and facilitating decision-making in matters of morality."
"The 1970s marked the emergence of computer ethics as a distinct discipline [5]. The primary issues revolved around data privacy, security, and intellectual property rights."
"The advancing landscape of Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems necessitates a strong emphasis on ethics with responsible AI and digital ethics at the forefront, emphasising the need for transparency, accountability, and inclusivity [7], [8]."
"MT inherently mirrors the values of its developers in both the tools used for interacting with it and the resulting translated text. In alignment with the broader context of technological advancements, it is essential to recognize that neither the development process nor the final output of MT can be regarded as neutral [10]."
Quotes
"Ethics, as an academic discipline, refers to the systematic inquiry and practical application of principles and values that serve as guiding frameworks for shaping human behavior and facilitating decision-making in matters of morality."
"The 1970s marked the emergence of computer ethics as a distinct discipline [5]. The primary issues revolved around data privacy, security, and intellectual property rights."
"The advancing landscape of Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems necessitates a strong emphasis on ethics with responsible AI and digital ethics at the forefront, emphasising the need for transparency, accountability, and inclusivity [7], [8]."
"MT inherently mirrors the values of its developers in both the tools used for interacting with it and the resulting translated text. In alignment with the broader context of technological advancements, it is essential to recognize that neither the development process nor the final output of MT can be regarded as neutral [10]."