1. Principle of collaboration

Developers should pay attention to the interconnectivity and interoperability of AI systems. [Comment] Developers should give consideration to the interconnectivity and interoperability between the AI systems that they have developed and other AI systems, etc. with consideration of the diversity of AI systems so that: (a) the benefits of AI systems should increase through the sound progress of AI networking; and that (b) multiple developers’ efforts to control the risks should be coordinated well and operate effectively. For this, developers should pay attention to the followings: • To make efforts to cooperate to share relevant information which is effective in ensuring interconnectivity and interoperability. • To make efforts to develop AI systems conforming to international standards, if any. • To make efforts to address the standardization of data formats and the openness of interfaces and protocols including application programming interface (API). • To pay attention to risks of unintended events as a result of the interconnection or interoperations between AI systems that they have developed and other AI systems, etc. • To make efforts to promote open and fair treatment of license agreements for and their conditions of intellectual property rights, such as standard essential patents, contributing to ensuring the interconnectivity and interoperability between AI systems and other AI systems, etc., while taking into consideration the balance between the protection and the utilization with respect to intellectual property related to the development of AI. [Note] The interoperability and interconnectivity in this context expects that AI systems which developers have developed can be connected to information and communication networks, thereby can operate with other AI systems, etc. in mutually and appropriately harmonized manners.
Principle: AI R&D Principles, Jul 28, 2017

Published by Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), the Government of Japan

Related Principles

4. Principle of safety

Developers should take it into consideration that AI systems will not harm the life, body, or property of users or third parties through actuators or other devices. [Comment] AI systems which are supposed to be subject to this principle are such ones that might harm the life, body, or property of users or third parties through actuators or other devices. It is encouraged that developers refer to relevant international standards and pay attention to the followings, with particular consideration of the possibility that outputs or programs might change as a result of learning or other methods of AI systems: ● To make efforts to conduct verification and validation in advance in order to assess and mitigate the risks related to the safety of the AI systems. ● To make efforts to implement measures, throughout the development stage of AI systems to the extent possible in light of the characteristics of the technologies to be adopted, to contribute to the intrinsic safety (reduction of essential risk factors such as kinetic energy of actuators) and the functional safety (mitigation of risks by operation of additional control devices such as automatic braking) when AI systems work with actuators or other devices. And ● To make efforts to explain the designers’ intent of AI systems and the reasons for it to stakeholders such as users, when developing AI systems to be used for making judgments regarding the safety of life, body, or property of users and third parties (for example, such judgments that prioritizes life, body, property to be protected at the time of an accident of a robot equipped with AI).

Published by Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), the Government of Japan in AI R&D Principles, Jul 28, 2017

5. Principle of security

Developers should pay attention to the security of AI systems. [Comment] In addition to respecting international guidelines on security such as “OECD Guidelines for the Security of Information Systems and Networks,” it is encouraged that developers pay attention to the followings, with consideration of the possibility that AI systems might change their outputs or programs as a result of learning or other methods: ● To pay attention, as necessary, to the reliability (that is, whether the operations are performed as intended and not steered by unauthorized third parties) and robustness (that is, tolerance to physical attacks and accidents) of AI systems, in addition to: (a) confidentiality; (b) integrity; and (c) availability of information that are usually required for ensuring the information security of AI systems. ● To make efforts to conduct verification and validation in advance in order to assess and control the risks related to the security of AI systems. ● To make efforts to take measures to maintain the security to the extent possible in light of the characteristics of the technologies to be adopted throughout the process of the development of AI systems (“security by design”).

Published by Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), the Government of Japan in AI R&D Principles, Jul 28, 2017

9. Principle of accountability

Developers should make efforts to fulfill their accountability to stakeholders, including AI systems’ users. [Comment] Developers are expected to fulfill their accountability for AI systems they have developed to gain users’ trust in AI systems. Specifically, it is encouraged that developers make efforts to provide users with the information that can help their choice and utilization of AI systems. In addition, in order to improve the acceptance of AI systems by the society including users, it is also encouraged that, taking into account the R&D principles (1) to (8) set forth in the Guidelines, developers make efforts: (a) to provide users et al. with both information and explanations about the technical characteristics of the AI systems they have developed; and (b) to gain active involvement of stakeholders (such as their feedback) in such manners as to hear various views through dialogues with diverse stakeholders. Moreover, it is advisable that developers make efforts to share the information and cooperate with providers et al. who offer services with the AI systems they have developed on their own.

Published by Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), the Government of Japan in AI R&D Principles, Jul 28, 2017

3. Principle of collaboration

AI service providers, business users, and data providers should pay attention to the collaboration of AI systems or AI services. Users should take it into consideration that risks might occur and even be amplified when AI systems are to be networked. [Main points to discuss] A) Attention to the interconnectivity and interoperability of AI systems AI network service providers may be expected to pay attention to the interconnectivity and interoperability of AI with consideration of the characteristics of AI to be used and its usage, in order to promote the benefits of AI through the sound progress of AI networking. B) Address to the standardization of data formats, protocols, etc. AI service providers and business users may be expected to address the standardization of data formats, protocols, etc. in order to promote cooperation among AI systems and between AI systems and other systems, etc. Also, data providers may be expected to address the standardization of data formats. C) Attention to problems caused and amplified by AI networking Although it is expected that collaboration of AI promotes the benefits, users may be expected to pay attention to the possibility that risks (e.g. the risk of loss of control by interconnecting or collaborating their AI systems with other AI systems, etc. through the Internet or other network) might be caused or amplified by AI networking. [Problems (examples) over risks that might become realized and amplified by AI networking] • Risks that one AI system's trouble, etc. spreads to the entire system. • Risks of failures in the cooperation and adjustment between AI systems. • Risks of failures in verifying the judgment and the decision making of AI (risks of failure to analyze the interactions between AI systems because the interactions become complicated). • Risks that the influence of a small number of AI becomes too strong (risks of enterprises and individuals suffering disadvantage by the judgment of a few AI systems). • Risks of the infringement of privacy as a result of information sharing across fields and the concentration of information to one specific AI. • Risks of unexpected actions of AI.

Published by Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), the Government of Japan in Draft AI Utilization Principles, Jul 17, 2018

· 2. RESPONSIBILITY MUST BE FULLY ACKNOWLEDGED WHEN CREATING AND USING AI

2.1. Risk based approach. The degree of attention paid to ethical AI issues and the nature of the relevant actions of AI Actors should be proportional to the assessment of the level of risk posed by specific AI technologies and systems for the interests of individuals and society. Risk level assessment shall take into account both known and possible risks, whereby the probability level of threats, as well as their possible scale in the short and long term shall be considered. Making decisions in the field of AI use that significantly affect society and the state should be accompanied by a scientifically verified, interdisciplinary forecast of socio economic consequences and risks and examination of possible changes in the paradigm of value and cultural development of the society. Development and use of an AI systems risk assessment methodology are encouraged in pursuance of this Code. 2.2. Responsible attitude. AI Actors should responsibly treat: • issues related to the influence of AI systems on society and citizens at every stage of the AI systems’ life cycle, i.a. on privacy, ethical, safe and responsible use of personal data; • the nature, degree and extent of damage that may result from the use of AI technologies and systems; • the selection and use of hardware and software utilized in different life cycles of AI systems. At the same time, the responsibility of AI Actors should correspond with the nature, degree and extent of damage that may occur as a result of the use of AI technologies and systems. The role in the life cycle of the AI system, as well as the degree of possible and real influence of a particular AI Actor on causing damage and its extent, should also be taken into account. 2.3. Precautions. When the activities of AI Actors can lead to morally unacceptable consequences for individuals and society, which can be reasonably predicted by the relevant AI Actor, the latter, should take measures to prohibit or limit the occurrence of such consequences. AI Actors shall use the provisions of this Code, including the mechanisms specified in Section 2, to assess the moral unacceptability of such consequences and discuss possible preventive measures. 2.4. No harm. AI Actors should not allow the use of AI technologies for the purpose of causing harm to human life and or health, the property of citizens and legal entities and the environment. Any use, including the design, development, testing, integration or operation of an AI system capable of purposefully causing harm to the environment, human life and or health, the property of citizens and legal entities, is prohibited. 2.5. Identification of AI in communication with a human. AI Actors are encouraged to ensure that users are duly informed of their interactions with AI systems when it affects human rights and critical areas of people’s lives and to ensure that such interaction can be terminated at the request of the user. 2.6. Data security. AI Actors must comply with the national legislation in the field of personal data and secrets protected by law when using AI systems; ensure the security and protection of personal data processed by AI systems or by AI Actors in order to develop and improve the AI systems; develop and integrate innovative methods to counter unauthorized access to personal data by third parties and use high quality and representative datasets obtained without breaking the law from reliable sources. 2.7. Information security. AI Actors should ensure the maximum possible protection from unauthorized interference of third parties in the operation of AI systems; integrate adequate information security technologies, i.a. use internal mechanisms designed to protect the AI system from unauthorized interventions and inform users and developers about such interventions; as well as promote the informing of users about the rules of information security during the use of AI systems. 2.8. Voluntary certification and Code compliance. AI Actors may implement voluntary certification systems to assess the compliance of developed AI technologies with the standards established by the national legislation and this Code. AI Actors may create voluntary certification and labeling systems for AI systems to indicate that these systems have passed voluntary certification procedures and confirm quality standards. 2.9. Control of the recursive self improvement of AI systems. AI Actors are encouraged to cooperate in identifying and verifying information about ways and forms of design of so called universal ("general") AI systems and prevention of possible threats they carry. The issues concerning the use of "general" AI technologies should be under the control of the state.

Published by AI Alliance Russia in AI Ethics Code (revised version), Oct 21, 2022 (unconfirmed)