Advancing transparent and ethical AI

Serious concerns on Deep-time Digital Earth AI: “A scientific chatbot prohibiting certain questions because they may tarnish the image of a government, poses a serious risk to academic freedom of expression”.

The development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the geosciences continues at pace. There is much to be positive about, but with AI comes a responsibility to ensure these powerful emerging tools are accurate, safe, and adhere to scientific and ethical principles. Serious concerns remain on GeoGPT, AI developed and promoted to the international geoscience community by Deep-time Digital Earth (DDE). The only Geoscience Big Data and AI endorsed by the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS).

These concerns include state censorship, safety, ethics, transparency and quality. I co-authored an article today in the ‘Geoscientist’ with Silvia Peppoloni, President of the International Association for Promoting Geoethics (IAPG), Chuck Bailey, President of the Geological Society of America (GSA) and Simon Thompson, Chief Executive of the Geological Society of London (GSL).

DDE’s original vision for its online platform was one that links databases together. But this vision doesn’t tally with how hosted AI and LLMs, like GeoGPT, work – they do not link data, they harvest it. And while AI models are often pitched as free tools, the real cost is your data.

IUGS is currently conducting a review of DDE, which we welcome, but improvements in transparency should be made immediately. We also welcome the ongoing discussion by members of IUGS about its future role in helping to shape ethical principles in the use of AI, and about whether it should adopt a more arms-length approach to participation in the field.

Article here: https://geoscientist.online/sections/viewpoint/advancing-transparent-and-ethical-ai/