Ethical Impact Assessment
A systematic evaluation process to identify and address the ethical implications and potential societal impacts of AI systems before deployment.
Definition
A structured assessment—akin to an environmental-impact study—that reviews intended use cases, affected stakeholders, data sources, potential biases, and downstream societal effects. It culminates in an action plan for risk mitigation, stakeholder consultations, and post-deployment monitoring. Ethics-IA is often mandated by governance frameworks and helps surface unintended harms.
Real-World Example
Before launching a predictive-policing AI, a municipality conducts an Ethical Impact Assessment: they engage community leaders, simulate deployment scenarios, identify risks of over-policing minority areas, and adapt the model’s risk thresholds and oversight protocols to protect civil liberties.
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