Summary

Reid Blackman, Founder and CEO at Virtue Consultants, shares his background in philosophy and how he transitioned to advising on ethical AI. He discusses the inspiration behind starting Virtue and the early projects he worked on. Reid emphasizes the importance of self-education on the technical details of machine learning. He also explores the relevance of philosophical schools of thought to AI ethics and the types of questions and requests he receives from clients. Reid discusses the urgency of ethical AI considerations for government clients and the differences in priorities based on company sovereignty. He concludes by sharing his personal approach to using AI tools in his own workflows.

Takeaways

• Self-education is crucial for understanding the technical details of machine learning and AI ethics.
• Ethical AI considerations should go beyond legal compliance and focus on reputation and responsible practices.
• Different clients have different priorities, ranging from regulatory compliance to being best in class.
• Government clients are taking ethical AI seriously, but most organizations are self-creating their own standards.
• The use of AI tools in workflows depends on individual expertise and the need for personal style and judgment.