Setting the Standard for AI: Info-Tech Research Group Publishes Six Principles for Responsible Use

The IT firm’s recent research outlines six foundational responsible AI guidelines that organizations can adapt to reflect their own culture, values, and needs.

TORONTO, Dec. 11, 2023 /PRNewswire/ – The rapid adoption of AI technologies across organizations worldwide is prompting IT and business leaders to establish clear guardrails that will define and guide the deployment of AI technology. Recognizing this challenge, Info-Tech Research Group has released a new research blueprint with six key principles titled Develop Responsible AI Guiding Principles. Implementing AI without a well-structured strategy and guiding principles for responsible AI use could lead to adverse business outcomes.

The firm’s blueprint is designed to be a comprehensive guide to help organizations shape their AI principles, forming the bedrock of their future policies and governance practices. By adopting this proactive approach, organizations can ensure responsible and effective adoption of AI technology, mitigating risks while maximizing benefits.

“For many previous technology revolutions, business and technology leaders had time to plan the approach and control the implementation,” says Travis Duncan, research director at Info-Tech Research Group. “In the case of AI, the horse had already left the barn before most organizational leaders could even begin to grasp the full complexities of opportunity and risk inherent in the technologies. Before leadership could get policies and governance in place, nontechnical staff were exploring the productivity gains in ChatGPT and other similar tools, and technical staff were either formally or informally deploying AI models.”

This exponential advancement in AI technology is further emphasized by Info-Tech’s research, which shows the importance of establishing AI principles as an initial step. However, the real challenge emerges when integrating these principles into the daily operations of both technical and nontechnical staff. Engaging key stakeholders and communicating the importance of AI principles is essential to bridge this gap, ensuring that everyone is aligned with the organization’s vision for AI deployment.

“Complicating things further, the technology is evolving so rapidly from week to week that traditional policy and governance approaches are lacking,” explains Duncan. “This pace has made responsible AI practices essential. Organizations need to quickly understand the new risks that AI-based solutions can introduce. Within this, responsible AI guiding principles are foundational, providing a framework to set safeguards for technical and nontechnical staff when working with AI technologies.“

Info-Tech explains in the newly published resource that with the right set of AI guiding principles, organizations can effectively navigate the complexities of risk. The firm outlines the following six AI principles for responsible use, derived from insights from practitioners and industry frameworks. These principles can help guide IT leaders in addressing the challenges associated with AI:

Evaluate Essential Inputs: Research and analyze industry standards, regulatory frameworks and guidelines, corporate principles, and other key considerations to ensure the approach meets legal requirements and employs best practices.
Engage Key Stakeholders: Engage executives and other key stakeholders to ensure their understanding and participation in the process of defining and ratifying principles.
Draft Responsible Al Principles: Ensure key stakeholders weigh inputs and other considerations to help identify the core principles that will guide the development of responsible Al for the organization.
Test & Validate Principles: Socialize the principles in pilots and select use cases to validate their appropriateness and effectiveness.
Put Principles Into Practice: Educate and train technical and nontechnical staff on the importance of Al principles and integrate them into the design, development, deployment, usage, and governance of Al technologies.
Monitor and update: Update and revise the principles regularly to ensure their relevance and effectiveness over time.

These principles will contribute to heightened risk awareness and more robust oversight. Moreover, they play a crucial role in facilitating more informed and effective decision-making processes within organizations, ultimately leading to more responsible and successful AI deployments.

Info-Tech Research Group emphasizes that the benefits of adopting responsible AI principles are multifaceted. By implementing these principles, organizations can improve the trust level of their AI applications, thereby boosting greater adoption among users and customers.

For exclusive and timely commentary from Travis Duncan, an expert on project management and organizational management, and access to the complete Develop Responsible AI Guiding Principles blueprint, please contact [email protected].

About Info-Tech Research Group

Info-Tech Research Group is one of the world’s leading information technology research and advisory firms, proudly serving over 30,000 IT professionals. The company produces unbiased and highly relevant research to help CIOs and IT leaders make strategic, timely, and well-informed decisions. For 25 years, Info-Tech has partnered closely with IT teams to provide them with everything they need, from actionable tools to analyst guidance, ensuring they deliver measurable results for their organizations.

Media professionals can register for unrestricted access to research across IT, HR, and software and over 200 IT and industry analysts through the firm’s Media Insiders program. To gain access, contact [email protected].

For information about Info-Tech Research Group or to access the latest research, visit infotech.com and connect via LinkedIn and X.