Artificial intelligence (AI) is a boon for streamlining processes and reducing workloads, but it’s not without its caveats. Bringing AI technology into workplaces comes with ethical challenges, some of which aren’t particularly obvious initially. That’s particularly true of AI tech like ChatGPT. Since its release in November 2022, individuals and organizations have used the technology in a wide variety of ways, and not all of them are without risk. Here’s a look at some of the ethical challenges that can come with ChatGPT, as well as what companies need to do to navigate them.
Navigating Ethical Challenges within ChatGPT
Data Security and Privacy Concerns
One of the most significant challenges relating to the use of ChatGPT is that users have to provide information to a third party – the company behind ChatGPT – for the technology to perform. The tool explicitly states in the new chat window that ChatGPT “remembers what user said earlier in the conversation,” and users are able to access past chats after logging in, showing that the tool stores what’s shared.
As a result, if a user shares proprietary or sensitive information, that data isn’t erased after the chat ends. Instead, it’s held by ChatGPT, and the model may use the provided details moving forward, including with parties not authorized to know them.
ChatGPT isn’t inherently compliant with most data protection laws and regulations. That creates an ethical concern, as any information shared could make its way into the broader database, allowing it to become part of answers given to other users at a later date. Plus, it opens organizations up to legal action, particularly if sensitive patient or customer information is provided to ChatGPT.
Counteracting these risks generally requires explicit policies that outline the appropriate use of tools like ChatGPT, particularly pertaining to what information shouldn’t be shared when using the technology. Clear guidelines can steer the behavior of users, reducing the risk of a future compliance issue.
Discrimination and Bias
When a user opens a new chat in ChatGPT, one stated limitation is that the technology “may occasionally produce harmful instructions or biased content.” When it comes to bias, AIs are trained on specific datasets. In the case of ChatGPT, the dataset contained a wealth of information present on the internet, a resource that isn’t always accurate or unbiased.
As a result, ChatGPT may offer responses based on biased content, and that can come with consequences. It may lead to unfair treatment or discrimination, or could lead to the continuing promotion of a biased viewpoint.
Since organizations don’t have control over the data used to train ChatGPT, they need to teach their users to exercise caution. Examine responses for signs of bias and discrimination instead of using them without some due diligence. Otherwise, decisions made based on a biased perspective could leave the organization vulnerable to legal action.
Inaccurate Communication
Tools like ChatGPT are often used to translate written information into other languages, which can facilitate communication between two individuals who don’t have a language in common. However, the accuracy of any provided translations can vary. While ChatGPT is reasonably accurate when both the source and target language are widely present on the internet, it may fall short if either (or both) languages are lesser-used.
The risk of mistranslation occurs because the data used to train ChatGPT doesn’t contain enough content in lesser-used languages to ensure accuracy. If any provided translations aren’t reviewed for accuracy, it introduces risks associated with miscommunication. Depending on the context, the inaccuracies could cause direct harm to an individual.
Fortunately, mitigating this risk is straightforward. By having any ChatGPT translations reviewed by a language service provider, inaccuracies are identified before they can cause harm.
Are You Looking for a Dependable Language Services Provider?
While ChatGPT is an intriguing technology, it can’t guarantee accuracy when performing translations. If you need to communicate with a diverse population, partnering with a language services provider allows you to ensure accuracy, avoiding any issues caused by incorrect translations or miscommunications. Acutrans provides high-quality certified document translations in 24 hours. Our team offers general translation services and industry-specific programs for the medical, legal, and technical industries. At Acutrans, we also have post-editing machine translation and localization services.
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