AI and the Iterable Epistopics of Risk

Crabtree, Andy; McGarry, Glenn; Urquhart, Lachlan

Abstract

The risks AI presents to society are broadly understood to be manageable through 'general calculus', i.e., general frameworks designed to enable those involved in the development of AI to apprehend and manage risk, such as AI impact assessments, ethical frameworks, emerging international standards, and regulations. This paper elaborates how risk is apprehended and managed by a regulator, developer and cyber-security expert. It reveals that risk and risk management is dependent on mundane situated practices not encapsulated in general calculus. Situated practice surfaces 'iterable epistopics', revealing how those involved in the development of AI know and subsequently respond to risk and uncover major challenges in their work. The ongoing discovery and elaboration of epistopics of risk in AI a) furnishes a potential program of interdisciplinary inquiry, b) provides AI developers with a means of apprehending risk, and c) informs the ongoing evolution of general calculus. The proposal puts in place a well-defined risk-based regulatory approach to ensure AI is developed in ways that respect people's rights and earn their trust. (EU AI Act 2024) Understanding and managing the risks of AI systems will help to enhance trustworthiness, and in turn, cultivate public trust. (NIST 2023)

Citation

Crabtree, A., McGarry, G., & Urquhart, L. (in press). AI and the Iterable Epistopics of Risk. AI & Society,

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jul 16, 2024
• Deposit Date: Jul 24, 2024
• Journal: AI & Society
• Print ISSN: 0951-5666
• Electronic ISSN: 1435-5655
• Publisher: Springer Verlag
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Keywords: Artificial intelligence (AI); trust; risk; ethnomethodology (EM); epistopics
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/37595801