Korea sets national principles for AI ethics

South Korea's Ministry of Science and ICT announced national principles for AI ethics on Monday, establishing three core values—human dignity, the common good, and sustainability of humanity—and seven principles for fairness, accountability, safety, and transparency. The nonbinding guidelines apply to all AI stakeholders, including developers, providers, users, government agencies, and civil society, as AI expands into business and public services.

Those developing and using artificial intelligence AI should keep human dignity and the common good of society as core values while also focusing on fairness, accountability, safety and transparency in practical use, according to the government's AI ethics principles. The government announced national principles for the ethical development and use of AI, Monday, setting out three core values and seven principles to guide its use, as the technology rapidly expands into areas ranging from business to public services, contributing to decisions affecting people's lives. The ethics principles provide a common but nonbinding reference for all parties involved in AI, including developers, providers, users, government agencies and civil society, the Ministry of Science and ICT said. The principles are built around three overarching values — human dignity, meaning people should be respected as ends in themselves rather than purposes; the common good, as AI is required to promote social trust and common good beyond individual interests; and the sustainability of humanity to benefit present an