Humanizing Technology: Ethics and Design in the Age of AI

The possibilities of AI have captivated our collective imagination. From writing poems and songs, to analyzing medical data and recommending the best treatment plan, to predicting when complex machinery will need maintenance, AI has the potential to dramatically improve how we live and work.

But when looking for ways to apply this cutting-edge, revolutionary technology, we must be clear-eyed about the potential to help as well as harm. Remember, AI is still in the early stages of development. The only values it possesses are the ones we teach it. As designers, we have a responsibility to align this technology to our purpose and intentions, and teach it what we value.

Designing for AI requires new considerations and new ways of thinking. We must focus our design talents on a new type of relationship with machines—one that is far more dynamic than ever before. What should these relationships look like? How might we take an ethical approach to create the best experiences with AI? And what role does design thinking have in helping us design for AI?