What You Need to Do

Read and respond to a workplace scenario that presents an ethical dilemma in at least two Discussion posts. In your response, address what you would do in the situation and suggest strategies to avoid the dilemma in the future. Discuss the posted options with your group. Use the step-by-step instructions below to complete the task.

How This Activity Connects to the Course

Ethical considerations matter in everything that you write in the workplace. You may well find yourself in a situation similar to this scenario once you graduate (or even sooner as an intern). This Discussion focuses on the technical accuracy of AI-generated writing.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Success Tip

You can use the online texts, any notes that you have, and the available course pages in Canvas for help as you work on these questions. You can also talk to one another.

  1. Read the scenario below and consider the ethical dilemma involved for Idris.
  2. In your your first post, do the following:
    1. Present a position statement that answers the question “What would you do in this situation?”
      • Provide reasoning from your own personal code of ethics. Here you focus on what YOU think is right.
      • Provide reasoning from your discipline’s code of ethics, OR Provide at least one supporting statement or example from the Ethics Resource Module.
    2. Explain what Idris’s team should do in the future to avoid such situations.
  3. Read the posts from others in your group, paying attention to how you agree or disagree on their solutions.
  4. Write at least one additional post to discuss the solution your group will recommend and the actions Idris’s team should take to avoid such dilemmas in the future.

The Scenario

Technical Accuracy and the Use of AI

A black man with glasses and beard, smiling at the camera. He is wearing African fabrics in his shirt and hat. He works at a computer with two monitors.
Image created with Midjourney

In today’s workplace, AI tools are increasingly being used to assist in generating software code. These tools promise efficiency and speed, but they also raise concerns about the accuracy and reliability of the information they produce.

Scenario

Idris is a senior engineer at Aim Higher Inc., where his team uses an AI tool to develop software that they market to a variety of industrial clients, from airlines to television stations.

Recently, a software update pushed out by Aim Higher caused all Windows machines with the software installed to crash on start-up. This issue was traced back to an error in the AI-generated code that was not thoroughly reviewed before deployment. As a result, clients experienced significant downtime and operational disruptions.

Idris’ team must decide how to address the situation in public messages and announce the measures that will be implemented to prevent future errors. Above all, they need to restore the public’s confidence in Aim Higher’s products.

Options for Idris and His Team

  • Public Apology and Immediate Fix: Issue a public apology, provide an immediate software fix, and offer compensation for the downtime experienced by clients.
  • Transparent Communication: Communicate openly with clients about the cause of the error, the steps being taken to fix it, and the measures Aim Higher is implementing to prevent future occurrences.
  • Enhanced Quality Assurance: Implement a more rigorous quality assurance process, including additional manual reviews of AI-generated code before deployment.
  • AI System Training: Invest in further training the AI system to improve its accuracy and reduce the likelihood of future errors.
  • Comprehensive Strategy: Combine a public apology, transparent communication, enhanced quality assurance, and AI system training to address the issue holistically and restore public confidence.

Issues to Consider as You Decide What Idris Should Do

  • Impact on Clients: How has the software crash affected clients’ operations and trust in Aim Higher?
  • Responsibility and Accountability: Who should be held accountable for the error, and how should this accountability be communicated?
  • Public Trust: What steps can be taken to restore the public’s confidence in Aim Higher’s products?
  • Cost and Resources: What are the costs and resource implications of the chosen response options?
  • Long-term Solutions: Which option provides the most sustainable long-term solution for maintaining the accuracy and reliability of AI-generated content?

Conclusion

Idris must weigh the options carefully to determine the best course of action to prevent future errors and maintain client trust. By considering the impact on clients, responsibility, public trust, cost, and long-term solutions, he can make an informed decision that addresses both immediate and future concerns.

Assessment

I will mark your participation in this Discussion Complete (or Incomplete) after the end of the Grace Period passes and I confirm that you have made at least two posts (required: one response to the original scenario, and a second in response to others in your class). Allow me several days to read and mark all your posts.