Our report on AI Ethics Recommendations for the Geoscience Community are Published!

Pleased to announce our AI Ethics Recommendations for the Geoscience Community are published! The Task Group was formed in Nov 2024 by the Commission on Geoethics of the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS).

A big thank you to the excellent team that made this happen: Mrinalini Kochupillai , Mark Lindsay , Emma Ruttkamp-Bloem , Geoethics Commission (GC) coordinator Giuseppe Di Capua , all the reviewers and GC Governing Council.

The report was reviewed and approved by 22 experts in their respective fields, from 14 different countries across 6 continents – Africa, Asia , Australia , Europe , North and South America.

Early feedback from one of the world’s largest geoscience institutions includes, “[we] firmly believe that this document will serve as a foundation regarding AI in the geoscience community.”

Executive Summary
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Statistical and machine learning approaches have supported geosciences for decades and the rapid adoption of frontier and generative AI have introduced new risks and amplifies existing ones. The study has been commissioned reflecting the rapidly increasing development and take-up of frontier generative AI solutions by geoscientists, wider use of AI in all aspects of the geosciences, and numerous high profile ethical issues in geoscience AI deployments.

This report is intended to guide practicing academic, industry, governmental and non-governmental geoscientists, society leaders, and policymakers. It outlines ethical considerations for the use of AI in geoscience, while also contributing to ongoing academic discussion on AI and geoethics.

Eight themes were identified with recommendations intended to address ethical issues and concerns occurring, or likely to occur, within the geosciences. These are: Use AI Responsibly; Promote Transparency and Explainability; Consider Bias and Fairness; Obtain Informed Consent, Protect Personal Data; Practice Participatory Design and Community Engagement; Advocate for Environmental Protection; Integrity in Science, Publishing and Education; and Consider Geopolitics. A simple practical one-page summary is presented for AI Ethics in the Geosciences, supported by a rich discussion of each theme with illustrative geoscience specific examples and reflective questions.
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The recommendations aim to foster a responsible, just, and sustainable integration of AI that serves the public good, upholds human rights, and contributes meaningfully to the integrity of the geoscience discipline and stewardship of the earth.

The report is applicable to all aspects of the geosciences including the applied sectors of mining, oil and gas, geohazards, hydrogeology, geotechnical and environmental.

Report here: https://www.geoethics.org/_files/ugd/5195a5_5dcf66f87cca492c958319c3f4cdeffb.pdf?index=true