AI Governance : The Role of Global Regulations in Light of the Ethical Views of Data Science Students

The technological shift we witness today is indicated by the emergence of a global infrastructure combining information systems with the existing physical infrastructure where this integration is increasingly enabled by artificial intelligence (AI). The safety and control of this fast-paced progress cannot be ensured without global governance, and the need for global regulation is becoming more and more visible. However, global rule-making raises additional ethical dilemmas that require the cooperation of not only politicians and legal experts, but also IT professionals and data science specialists to be solved. Understanding the ethical views and commitment of information system and AI development experts, especially those from the data science field is crucial for governmental actors in their efforts to bring AI under control. Furthermore, universities with data science programs need to be aware of this unfolding challenge. The research reported here investigated two groups of data science students – both full-time students and postgraduate students with substantial work experience – to shad light on their views and commitment to AI and data related ethical standards. The key finding indicates that while students expect governments and regulatory agencies to take charge in forming (global) AI policies, they consider themselves and their employers to be responsible for implementing and adhering to them.