Accenture
(NYSE: ACN) has been awarded as this year’s Corporate Honoree for the
Award for Ethical Leadership by the
Fellowships at Auschwitz for the Study of Professional Ethics
(FASPE). The company will be recognized for its leadership in applying
ethical principles to the development and use of artificial intelligence
(AI) and other innovative 21st-century technologies at FASPE’s annual
gala and awards dinner on Monday, April 15 in New York City. Accenture
is dedicating the award to its late CEO, Pierre Nanterme, who embodied
the ethical principles that drive the company today.
FASPE is a non-profit organization which challenges graduate students
and early-career professionals in business, journalism, law, medicine
and religion to recognize and confront their ethical responsibilities by
analyzing the decisions and actions of Nazi-era professionals. Each
year, FASPE recognizes individuals and corporations whose actions
reflect the behavior that is at the core of FASPE’s mission.
Accepting the award on behalf of Accenture will be Paul Daugherty,
Accenture’s chief technology & innovation officer.
“Adopting a Responsible AI approach based on ethics and trust is no
longer a ‘nice to have,” said Daugherty. “An AI misstep can breach
existing trust bonds between companies and workforces, customers and
societies. It’s paramount for today’s business leaders to be designing
their AI with responsibility and ethics at the forefront. We agree
wholeheartedly in FASPE’s belief that all organizations have an
increasingly important role to play in addressing ethical challenges
amidst globalization and rapidly changing technologies.”
Accenture is committed to creating human-centric AI with the goal of
understanding and addressing the social, regulatory and economic impact
of this technology from development to deployment and beyond. The
company offers its clients tangible and practical ways to address the
many issues raised by integrating AI into their overall business
strategy. A few of the tools Accenture has developed to help companies
ensure a responsible approach include:
-
AI Launchpad: an applied, interdisciplinary,
innovation-friendly approach to evaluating, understanding and
addressing “unintended consequences” when deploying safe and
responsible AI models -
AI Fairness Tool: allows clients to robustly assess algorithm
models and the data that underlies them to identify and correct for
bias in both in-house developed AI and third-party solutions, helping
companies manage their digital supply chain -
Teach and Test Tool: helps clients to validate and test their
AI systems, including model debugging, amidst the need to “raise” AI
systems so they act responsibly
“Ethics cannot be viewed as static. We are particularly challenged today
as we confront new technologies that are often unpredictable in their
impact,” said David Goldman, Founder and Chair of FASPE. “Through its
focus on responsible innovation, Accenture is accepting that challenge
by ensuring that ethical behavior is part of the conversation as new
technologies are being developed and introduced. FASPE is honored to be
recognizing Accenture for these efforts.”
Daugherty continued, “We dedicate this award to our late CEO, Pierre
Nanterme, behind whose vision and ethical leadership Accenture continues
to help clients innovate, grow and succeed.”
More information about Accenture’s work in AI and responsible AI can be
found here.
About Accenture
Accenture is a leading global professional services company, providing a
broad range of services and solutions in strategy, consulting, digital,
technology and operations. Combining unmatched experience and
specialized skills across more than 40 industries and all business
functions — underpinned by the world’s largest delivery network —
Accenture works at the intersection of business and technology to help
clients improve their performance and create sustainable value for their
stakeholders. With 477,000 people serving clients in more than 120
countries, Accenture drives innovation to improve the way the world
works and lives. Visit us at www.accenture.com.
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