If you want to wow your customers with generative AI, you need to embrace a responsible tech mindset. Credit: Ollyy / Shutterstock Over the past 12 months, generative AI has generated fervor and fear in almost equal measure. We’ve all marveled at the tech’s ability to pass bar exams or create award winning photography. But that level of ingenuity is deeply unsettling for many consumers, who perhaps prefer to know that the humans are still at the wheel. This presents a conundrum for many of today’s business leaders. There are very real opportunities to innovate using generative AI, but there are equally many consumers who are uncomfortable with the technology. How can you seize that opportunity without alienating your customer base? At Thoughtworks, we wanted to explore consumer attitudes towards genAI and identify ways forward for our clients. The good news is that of the 10,000 people we surveyed from across the globe, 83% agreed that businesses can use genAI to be more innovative and to serve them better. But an even greater proportion (93%) have ethical concerns about genAI. Those concerns include things such as the troubling emergence of deepfakes, the potential for losing the ‘human touch,’ and data privacy worries, among others. When questioned, our survey respondents said their top three priorities for businesses deploying genAI were: To clearly outline how data is used To ensure no illegal content was generated To disclose when content was generated by genAI As with most high-profile tech trends, regulators have been quick to flex their muscles. That may come as welcome news to many consumers — indeed 82% of respondents said they thought governments have a vital role in ensuring the safety of genAI use. However, relying solely on regulators is not the most effective approach to achieving this. Technology — and genAI in particular — advances at such breakneck speed, it’s nigh on impossible for regulations to keep up. Too often we’ve seen regulators struggle to keep pace with technology and enact well-meaning but cumbersome legislation. Instead of waiting for regulations to emerge, which they undoubtedly will, businesses should take the lead by being open and transparent about their use of genAI and about how they’ll build trust in their use of genAI. That sounds simple enough, right? But when it comes to genAI, it’s not enough to just have good intentions: If you want to build trust, you need a very deliberate plan for how you’ll ensure principles of ethics, fairness, and inclusivity. Businesses need to adopt ‘responsible technology’ practices, which will give them a powerful lever that enables them to deploy innovative genAI solutions while building trust with consumers. Responsible tech is a philosophy that aligns an organization’s use of technology to both individuals’ and society’s interests. It includes developing tools, methodologies, and frameworks that observe these principles at every stage of the product development cycle. This ensures that ethical concerns are baked in at the outset. This approach is gaining momentum, as people realize how technologies such as genAI, can impact their daily lives. Even organizations such as the United Nations are codifying their approach to responsible tech. Consumers urgently want organizations to be responsible and transparent with their use of genAI. This can be a challenge because, when it comes to transparency, there are a multitude of factors to consider, including everything from acknowledging AI is being used to disclosing what data sources are used, what the steps were taken to reduce bias, how accurate the system is, or even the carbon footprint associated with the genAI system. To be transparent, you will need to provide the right amount of information, in the right format, to meet the needs of different audiences. It helps to consider your genAI use through three lenses: Technical function: What does the system actually do? Communicated function: What do developers or deployers say it does? Perceived function: What do users of the system believe it does? This approach can help ground the complexity of genAI systems in a way that supports meaningful transparency and social responsibility. And it can help you build trust with consumers — many of whom want the innovation that genAI can support. Related content brandpost Sponsored by HP Unlocking AI: Machine learning as a service Access to an emerging range of subscription AI tools will transform data science. By Sherry Brecher May 23, 2024 3 mins Machine Learning brandpost Sponsored by HP Possibilities at the Edge: Putting Intelligence Where your Data is The future of data analytics is shifting from the cloud to the network edge to drive real time decision-making. By Sherry Brecher May 23, 2024 3 mins Analytics news US lawmakers advance bill to close loopholes in AI export controls The law seeks to fill a gap in the Bureau of Industry and Security’s (BIS) mandate regarding AI systems, where it lacks clear legal authority. By Prasanth Aby Thomas May 23, 2024 4 mins Regulation Artificial Intelligence feature 10 most powerful ERP vendors today The Big 3 continue to differentiate themselves with broad ERP offerings, but the race to capitalize on AI enhancements and cater to industry-specific needs is having broad market impact. By Neal Weinberg May 23, 2024 13 mins Technology Industry ERP Systems PODCASTS VIDEOS RESOURCES EVENTS SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe