Skip to main content

The importance of ethics in Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning and advanced analytics are among the most promising solutions for businesses and society. AI can solve many of society’s sustainability and efficiency challenges, but what are the ethical implications of using such technologies, and what is Visma doing to ensure they are implemented with people in mind?

A person's hand zooming in on a financial application on an iPad.

Below are the largest considerations when it comes to ethical and sustainable AI, along with the principles Visma follows in its AI design, development and deployment.

Human centric

Our mission for AI is to extend human abilities. We aspire to act ethically with care and explore opportunities, while also being proactively aware of potential risks. We supervise our AI solutions and are ready to intervene, improve and mitigate issues where needed.

Transparent, explainable, fair and unbiased

We aim to proactively explain the development, use and results of our AI solutions to customers and employees in a user-friendly way. AI decisions regarding individuals are continuously tested for skewed results or biases that might have existed in the service-relevant data that are used to train the AI algorithms. In addition, we go to great lengths to ensure that a non-technical person can understand why our AI systems arrive at certain conclusions when it comes to determinations related to individuals.

Privacy and data protective

Our AI development is based on privacy by design. We respect user privacy and data rights, and inform users about how data are collected, stored, used and protected through clear privacy statements. We strive to use only the minimum data necessary for every step of development, and encrypt or anonymise data where possible.

Accountable

We take responsibility for our AI solutions to give our users confidence, and provide a point of contact for questions, directly or through our trusted partner network. User feedback is continuously incorporated into our AI solutions, and any issues are addressed promptly.

Safe, secure and sustainable

Our AI solutions are designed and deployed securely and robustly, defended from adversarial attacks, to prevent misuse and reduce the risk of being compromised or causing harm. This also applies to any data used to train, develop or test the AI. Finally, for environmental sustainability, Visma conducts the majority of its computationally intensive AI development in data centres powered by renewable energy.

Beyond AI

Ensuring strong AI ethics is a key part of Visma’s AI and sustainability programs.

Learn about our AI efforts

See our 2021 sustainability highlights