Support (AND STANDARDS) for founders starting AI powered businesses

If you're starting an business with an AI component, in addition to getting to grips with software, data sets and understanding how to "train" your AI to deliver the desired results (or finding a team to do this for you!), standards and ethics must also be considered.

From medtech, to insurance, to fintech and beyond, ethical considerations will include understanding the risks and downsides to using AI, how to use it responsibly, how to make sure it is safe and causes no harm, and how to identify and eradicate bias from the equation where decisions or recommendations are being made.

Last week I was excited to attend the launch of the Alan Turing Institute's AI Standards Hub. This is a brand-new resource that will offer a great deal of support to businesses and startups and will pave the way towards setting global standards for AI, including common use of terms and definitions.

The aim of the Hub is to promote the responsible use of AI, and the event explored the concepts of public trust and the inclusive development of standards. Speakers from the British Standards Institution, Digital Catapult, the Financial Conduct Authority, and the Digital Standards Office for AI spoke about striking the right balance between implementing industry standards vs. stricter regulation, and protecting the vulnerable whilst not unnecessarily restricting the commercial activities of businesses.

There are many different types of standards, but examples include standards related to product testing, performance, and regulatory compliance.

Diversity in tech helps to ensure that teams consider a wider range of cases and scenarios as they develop AI-powered products.
Having documented standards as a reference will also increase safety, quality, and increase the benefits of AI for all.

You can visit and sign up for the AI standards hub here -
https://lnkd.in/eEdfVxUp

You can watch a recording of the event on YouTube here -
https://lnkd.in/evbEMPg7

Where to next?
Bodies involved in AI and the development of AI standards that you may wish to bookmark include:

Alan Turing Institute -
https://www.turing.ac.uk/

Office for Artificial Intelligence –
https://lnkd.in/ezDDTeMr

BSI (the UK’s National Standards Body) –
https://lnkd.in/eEf8E76a

National Physical Laboratory (NPL) –
https://lnkd.in/e9H5NeyQ

The Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI) –
https://gpai.ai/

International Organization for Standardization (ISO) –
https://lnkd.in/ewyXQAHr

European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) - 
https://lnkd.in/e-mdyjAW
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Digital Catapult
https://www.digicatapult.org.uk/