Needs and Artificial Intelligence

TL;DR

This paper explores the fundamental relationship between human needs and artificial intelligence, emphasizing the importance of developing needs-aware, sustainable, and ethical AI systems through interdisciplinary collaboration.

Contribution

It advocates for re-thinking needs in AI development to create human-centric, accountable, and ethical AI systems, highlighting critical gaps and future research directions.

Findings

Identifies gaps in needs-aware AI development

Highlights barriers and enablers for human-centric AI

Proposes interdisciplinary efforts for ethical AI

Abstract

Throughout their history, homo sapiens have used technologies to better satisfy their needs. The relation between needs and technology is so fundamental that the US National Research Council defined the distinguishing characteristic of technology as its goal "to make modifications in the world to meet human needs". Artificial intelligence (AI) is one of the most promising emerging technologies of our time. Similar to other technologies, AI is expected "to meet [human] needs". In this article, we reflect on the relationship between needs and AI, and call for the realisation of needs-aware AI systems. We argue that re-thinking needs for, through, and by AI can be a very useful means towards the development of realistic approaches for Sustainable, Human-centric, Accountable, Lawful, and Ethical (HALE) AI systems. We discuss some of the most critical gaps, barriers, enablers, and drivers of co-creating future AI-based socio-technical systems in which [human] needs are well considered and met. Finally, we provide an overview of potential threats and HALE considerations that should be carefully taken into account, and call for joint, immediate, and interdisciplinary efforts and collaborations.