“Heartware” Needed In Artificial Intelligence
Recent news that a local radio station developed an AI-based radio deejay certainly has caught the attention of many. AI, which is short for artificial intelligence, is a technology developed by human ingenuity and intelligence. The AI radio deejay is definitely one of numerous technological innovations that has come to the forefront in recent years.
New technologies, like AI, may disrupt the old way of doing things, but it has also enabled mankind to live life more efficiently, effectively, easily, and comfortably. Nevertheless, there are valid concerns that AI may displace or replace certain jobs.
For Muslims, all forms of technological advancements and innovations are made possible with the permission of Allah SWT who has provided mankind with the inspiration to invent and innovate. However, there are differences between AI and human beings, and the most significant is in the performance and decision-making process.
Unlike human beings, AI is tireless in its performance of an assigned task. Human beings have finite energy, thus requiring periodical breaks to recharge. AI on the other hand has the ability to carry out tasks around the clock. An AI deejay for example would not require any coffee or toilet break.
In the context of decision-making, human beings make a decision after taking into consideration many factors including emotions. Human beings have the ability to contextualise problems and presents solutions which would provide not only logical fulfilment but also psychological satisfaction.
In contrast, AI is devoid of any emotion, which would result in any decision made by an AI system to be merely logical but may not take into account other factors such as the emotional and psychological aspects. This is because an AI system is very much dependent on the data input which has its limitations.
It is worth noting that from an Islamic perspective, AI will not surpass or be better than the intellect of a human being. This is because Allah SWT has gifted mankind with al-‘aql which is not given to any other creations. In the Quran, it has been stated that mankind is the best of creations.
We must ensure that AI is utilised in the best possible way so that we can reap benefits from it while at the same time, ensuring that the technology does not bring unwanted negative effects. As with any technology, AI has both the potential to bring good as well as harm.
Therefore, in using an AI system, we must realise that AI is a tool and does not replace a human being entirely. AI provides the hardware and software to do things more effectively and efficiently, including taking over mundane and time-consuming tasks. However, without the human touch, it would be difficult for AI to be used in an ethical manner.
Malaysia has taken the initiative to come up with a document called Malaysian National Artificial Intelligence Roadmap 2021–2025 or AI-RMAP for short. The ethical dimension of AI adoption in Malaysia is outlined under the Principles of Responsible AI in the document namely fairness; reliability, safety and control; privacy and security; inclusiveness; pursuit of human benefits and happiness; accountability; and, transparency.
However, ethical use of AI cannot be attained only through principles. Instead, a system of complementary subsystems promoting human-beneficial AI is required. Therefore, it is critical that Malaysia does not fall behind in terms of drawing up a comprehensive policy and guidelines regarding the use of AI, as well as establishing an ecosystem promoting ethical AI.
While we support technological development, it is critical that the technology be developed within the confines of laws, policies, regulations, ethics, and religious norms. This is because AI has the potential for both benefit and harm, and in fact, AI can also act an magnifying force for both.
It is easier to define the ethical boundaries first, and make adjustments as technology progresses when it becomes necessary; compared to allowing technology to progress without defining the boundaries as the latter scenario would make mitigation efforts difficult and challenging should something go wrong.
Having ethical boundaries is important because of four reasons. Firstly, ethical standards should come before existential risk, and therefore, programmers and scientists must hold to accepted moral standards. Secondly, algorithms must include human values to avoid potential for harm.
Thirdly, while AI does not inherently have morals, it is critical for programmers to build ethical standards within the algorithm. That is why some have argued that there is a need for a branch of fiqh called fiqh of algorithm to be established so as to guide programmers to develop an ethical AI system.
Finally, there are very few laws that govern AI, and that there is a need for new laws to “define and codify the ethics” to address the changing dynamics as a result of AI’s involvement in human decision-making.
AI has the potential to be a useful and powerful tool. However, we must always keep in mind that this technology should be human-centred. In other words, we must ensure that this technology is not devoid of human values. AI technology may provide the “hardware” and “software” required in today’s life, but human beings provide the “heartware” much needed to drive things forward and give meaning to what it means to be khalifah of this world. An AI-based deejay is indeed an innovation, but if the technology lacks the “human touch,” then it would also be without a “heart.”
