VIDEO | Distinguished Career Professor, Carnegie Mellon University: Students Must Be Trained in Data Ethics

(US and Canada) Rayid Ghani, Distinguished Career Professor at Carnegie Mellon University, speaks with Maria Espona, Professor – ArgIQ and CDO Magazine Editorial Board Member, in a video interview about hands-on training for students and the need for embedding data, AI, and ML ethics in the curriculum.

Ghani focuses on helping governments and nonprofits develop machine learning and data-driven AI systems to tackle problems in various areas, including health, criminal justice, education, the environment, human services, and transportation.

When asked how he prepares students to solve social problems, Ghani says that the key is to provide students with experience working on real projects.

He explains that Carnegie Mellon University collaborates with government agencies and nonprofits, identifying specific problems and teaching students how to solve them. Highlighting a couple of live projects in Los Angeles and Johnson County, Ghani notes that students are trained to make the solutions equitable and efficient. Students work alongside a dedicated, full-time team.

Ghani points out that most students need to receive sufficient training in professional ethics because the subject is not included in a college curriculum. He maintains that students and other practitioners must be trained to deal with ethical issues in data, AI, and ML.

He believes the solution is to embed ethical discussions and content about privacy, equity, transparency, accountability, and inclusiveness throughout the curriculum.

Carnegie Mellon has done this, Ghani adds, and the university also has an experiential training program called Data Science for Social Good Fellowship. The university also organizes sessions to discuss possible future impacts of data-related decisions and how to reduce risks.

Ghani continues, emphasizing that, unlike established medical fields, data, AI, and ML ethics have yet to mature enough. He maintains that the industry requires common standards for training, conversations, understanding issues, and developing systems that adhere to ethical values.

CDO Magazine appreciates Rayid Ghani for sharing his insights and data success stories with our global community.