Oversight of emerging science and technology: Learning from past and present efforts around the world

Abstract

Harnessing the role of the public can help build accountability and trust, and also engage with the public about the benefits and risks associated with the science or technology BalancedKey lesson 1: It is important that oversight approaches aim to balance the conflicting benefits and risks associated with the emerging science or technology, as well as the needs of the different stakeholders Diverse and contextualKey lesson 2: There is no 'one-size-fits-all' approach to emerging science and technology oversight -it is vital to take into account the context within which the science or technology is developing Takes the initiativeKey lesson 3: Stakeholders that take the initiative to put in place oversight structures in a timely manner can take advantage of the opportunities provided by the emerging science or technology, and also help identify the risks Anticipatory Key lesson 4: It is helpful to anticipate the different potential paths an emerging science or technology could take as it evolves over time, as well as the ensuing impacts Embraces communication Key lesson 7: Effective communication between the main actors involved in the oversight process facilitates transparency and clarity of roles and responsibilities CollaborativeKey lesson 6: Adopting an inclusive and participatory approach to science and technology oversight helps build accountability and confidence AdaptableKey lesson 5: For an oversight approach to be effective, it helps to build in flexibility so that it can respond to changes and be adjusted over time as the science or technology evolves XIXWe are very grateful to Beth Thompson, Joseph Clift and Gemma Wardle at Wellcome Trust for their helpful guidance and support throughout the project. We would like to thank all of the respondents to our successful crowdsourcing exercise who provided examples of oversight, and the numerous individuals who contributed to the development of the case vignettes through interviews and discussions. We would also like to thank our reviewers, Advait Deshpande and Susan Guthrie, for their critical and constructive comments on earlier versions of this report during the quality assurance process. 10It is worth noting that the Protocol is still being negotiated, modified and used (Convention on Biological Diversity 2015).12 Interviewees are cited throughout the report using the identifier 'INTXX', where XX is a number between 01 and 10. 13These visionaries included the former foreign minister, Toomas Hendrik Ilves, and the former prime minister, Mart Laar (Runnel, Pruulmann and Reinsalu 2009). 14These websites were established to act as democratic forums where legislation could be proposed and discussed. 15Improving ICT-related skills through education has been a long-term oversight activity. The Information Technology Foundation for Education (known as HITSA), a non-profit association established jointly by the Republic of Estonia,

Labelling initiatives, codes of conduct and other self-regulatory mechanisms for artificial intelligence applications: From principles to practice and considerations for the future

“…Determining clear mechanisms to translate these well-meaning but often abstract and philosophical principles into practice -and at scale -will be a key challenge. Learning from other contexts and adopting an evidencebased approach will be vital (Gunashekar et al 2019). For example, can any lessons be learned for self-regulatory initiatives with regard to AI-based applications from initiatives and schemes that have been applied in other contexts such as energy efficiency, eco labelling, and food and nutrition labelling?…”