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Cited by 251Ethics and Social Impacts of AIExplainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI)Innovative Human-Technology Interaction

Mapping value sensitive design onto AI for social good principles

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Umbrello, Steven, van de Poel, Ibo·2021·AI and Ethics
DOI 10.1007/s43681-021-00038-3PMC PMC7848675
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Abstract

Value sensitive design (VSD) is an established method for integrating values into technical design. It has been applied to different technologies and, more recently, to artificial intelligence (AI). We argue that AI poses a number of challenges specific to VSD that require a somewhat modified VSD approach. Machine learning (ML), in particular, poses two challenges. First, humans may not understand how an AI system learns certain things. This requires paying attention to values such as transparency, explicability, and accountability. Second, ML may lead to AI systems adapting in ways that ‘disembody’ the values embedded in them. To address this, we propose a threefold modified VSD approach: (1) integrating a known set of VSD principles (AI4SG) as design norms from which more specific design requirements can be derived; (2) distinguishing between values that are promoted and respected by the design to ensure outcomes that not only do no harm but also contribute to good, and (3) extending the VSD process to encompass the whole life cycle of an AI technology to monitor unintended value consequences and redesign as needed. We illustrate our VSD for AI approach with an example use case of a SARS-CoV-2 contact tracing app.

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  • The workshops were based on the value-sensitive design approach.

    “The workshops were also based on the value-sensitive design approach (Umbrello & Van De Poel, 2021, p. 284), which takes “values of ethical importance into account”, considering “a tripartite methodology of empirical, conceptual and technical investigations”.”

    From Deepfakes, Democracy, and the Ethics of Synthetic Media: A Synthesis of the SOLARIS Project (2026) · cites this paper as Umbrello & Van De Poel, 2021

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Authors
Umbrello, S., & van de Poel, I.
Affiliations
University of Turin (IT)
Corresponding author
Umbrello, Steven
ORCID
Venue
AI and Ethics
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2021-02-01
Volume
1
Issue
3
Pages
283-296
ISSN
  • 2730-5953 (ISSN-L)
  • 2730-5961
DOI
10.1007/s43681-021-00038-3
PMC
PMC7848675
OpenAlex
W3128206934
Cited by
251
References
14
Citations by year
2026: 50 · 2025: 56 · 2024: 52 · 2023: 42 · 2022: 36 · 2021: 14 · 2020: 1
FWCI
45.01
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • AI and Ethics (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Institutional Research Information System University of Turin (University of Turin) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • PhilPapers (PhilPapers Foundation) (submittedVersion)
  • Research Repository (Delft University of Technology) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • European Research Council (788321)
  • Università degli Studi di Torino
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Safety Research › Ethics and Social Impacts of AI
  • Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Artificial Intelligence › Explainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI)
  • Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Human-Computer Interaction › Innovative Human-Technology Interaction
Keywords
value-sensitive design, machine learning, transparency, explainability, accountability, value preservation, AI lifecycle, design standards

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