This presentation provides an overview of how the e-SIDES project (www.e-sides.eu) is dealing with ethical issues emerging from big data and AI

1. e-SIDES: Towards Value-Centric Big Data
Understanding the ethical and societal implications of big data and promoting accountable
data governance and responsible research

2. …But, not only Big Data
• Big Data, AI and Intelligent systems are becoming sophisticated tools in the hands
of different stakeholders, including political leaders and global decision makers.
• Without solutions being demonstrably worthy of trust, unwanted consequences
may emerge, preventing the realization of full benefits for the whole society
• Some AI applications may raise new ethical and legal questions, for example
related to liability or potentially biased decision-making

3. e-Sides Ethical and Societal Implications of Data Sciences 3
What is e-SIDES doing...
1) Identify ethical and societal issues
2) Identify existing technologies
3) Assess existing technologies
4) Conduct a gap analysis
5) Identify design requirements
6) Assess solutions under development
7) Identify implementation barriers
8) Make recommendations
What?
▪ Liaise with researchers, business
leaders, policy makers and civil
society through community events
▪ Provide an Open platform for
discussion, learning and networking
▪ Provide an agreed-upon and
collective community position paper
and recommendations
How?
Why?
▪ Reach a common vision for an ethically sound approach to big data and
facilitate responsible research and innovation for value-centric big data
▪ Improve the dialogue between stakeholders and the confidence of
citizens towards big data technologies and data markets
ongoing

4. 4
...for value-centric big data?
Data-driven innovation that at
the same time provides
opportunities for economic
added value and respects
ethical and societal values and
human rights is what e-SIDES
aims at.
“Not everything that is legally compliant and technically feasible is morally sustainable.”
Giovanni Buttarelli, European Data Protection Supervisor,
at ICDPPC 2018

5. 5
What do we have...
Research materials (examples)
• Assessment of ethical implications
• Assessment of privacy-preserving technologies
• Design requirements for new generation technologies
Community connections
• Big Data Value Association PPP
• euRobotics PPP
• Upcoming AI-PPP
• Civil society associations
• Policy makers (European Commission, EU DPO)
• High-level experts
• Other projects dealing with ethics (Canvas, Sienna..)
Community Position Paper
• The project brings together the community to
collaboratively produce a paper with recommendations
for future research on big data
• The CPP will be promoted and distributed at the EC level
• Presented at e-SIDES Final Conference (Nov, Brussels)

6. Trustworthy and Human-Centric AI
What’s happening in the EU?

7. The EC mission
In order to increase transparency and minimise the risk of bias,
AI systems should be developed and deployed in a manner that
allows humans to understand the basis of their actions.
Explainable AI is an essential factor in the process of
strengthening people’s trust in such systems.”
Roberto Viola Director General of DG CONNECT (Directorate
General of Communication Networks, Content and Technology) at
the European Commission
In my first 100 days in office, I will put forward legislation for a
coordinated European approach on the human and ethical
implications of Artificial Intelligence. This should also look at how
we can use big data for innovations that create wealth for our
societies and our businesses. I will make sure that we prioritise
investments in Artificial Intelligence, both through the Multiannual
Financial Framework and through the increased use of public-private
partnerships.
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission

8. The EC Actions
EC Communication in 2018
for ethical, secure and
cutting-edge, human-centric
AI made in Europe
High-Level Expert Group on
Artificial Intelligence (AI
HLEG), mandated with the
drafting : (1) AI Ethics
Guidelines and (2) Policy
and Investment
Recommendations
1) Guidelines, 8 April
2019
2) Recommendations,
26 June 2019
Strategic Research and
Innovation Agenda for
the AI-PPP,
June 2019

9. European AI HLEG Work so far
AI Ethical Guidelines Document
(overview of guidelines framework)
AI Ethical Policy and Investment Recommendations
(mapping of priority areas)
Piloting phase of the Ethics Guidelines for Trustworthy AI to
enable their improvement and secure their sectoral relevance
(open consultations, call for applications, funded projects, etc)
Next Phase

10. Thank you! @eSIDES_EU
#valuecentricbigdata
eSIDES_EU
info@e-sides.eu
www.e-sides.eu