The attempt to deliver a global index on responsible AI will serve as a measurement tool for countries that are in different stages of maturity, Dr Rachel Adams, Principal Researcher, ICT Africa explained at The Institute of Advanced Legal Studies event on 6 September. Outlining the project, she said that a pilot is currently being concluded in the study that draws from experience in 140 countries.

Adams said that existing work on ethics and AI at the OECD or UNESCO is valuable, but are they globally inclusive? The OECD obviously not, but generally speaking, too often AI development is based largely on Western thinking and values. Adams sits on numerous boards and expert panels including the UNESCO Expert Group on the Implementation of the UNESCO Recommendation on AI in Ethics, and the expert advisory board of an Ada Lovelace project on the future of AI and genomics, and is therefore well informed.