KUALA LUMPUR: Artificial Intelligence (AI) needs to be used in an ethical and responsible manner for it to serve the greater good, says Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye.
The Alliance for a Safe Community chairman said as AI was rapidly shaping every facet of human life, it was critical that it was developed and deployed with a human-centric approach.
"It (AI) holds the potential to solve some of humanity’s most pressing challenges, from healthcare innovations to environmental sustainability, but it must always serve the greater good.
"To humanise AI is to embed ethical considerations, transparency and empathy into the heart of its design.
"We must remember that AI is not just a tool and it reflects the values of those who create it.
"AI development should prioritise fairness, accountability and inclusivity," he said in a statement on Thursday (Sept 25).
Lee said this means avoiding bias in decision-making systems, ensuring that AI enhances human potential rather than replacing it and making its benefits accessible to all, not just a select few.
"Governments, industries and communities must work together to create a governance framework that fosters innovation while protecting privacy and rights.
"We must emphasise the importance of educating our workforce and future generations to work alongside AI, harnessing its capabilities while maintaining our uniquely human traits of creativity, compassion and critical thinking.
"As AI continues to transform the way we live, work and interact, it is becoming increasingly urgent to ensure that its development and use are grounded in responsibility, accountability and integrity," he said.
Lee calls for clear, forward-looking regulations and comprehensive ethical framework to govern AI usage in order to safeguard the public interest.
"There is a need for AI regulation as it is rapidly being adopted across sectors—from healthcare and education to finance, law enforcement and public services.
'While these advancements offer significant benefits, they also pose risks, including invasion of privacy and misuse of personal data.
"It can cause algorithmic bias leading to discrimination or injustice.
"Job displacement and economic inequality as well as deepfakes and misinformation are other worrying factors," he said.
Lee said there must be checks and balances to ensure that AI serves humanity and does not compromise safety, security or fundamental rights.
He then proposed there be AI accountability laws to define legal responsibility for harm caused by AI systems, especially in high-risk applications.
"There needs to be transparency and explainability to mandate that AI decisions affecting individuals like in hiring, credit scoring or medical diagnoses, must be explained and transparent.
"Data protection and privacy standards need to strengthened with data governance frameworks to prevent unauthorised access, misuse or exploitation of personal data by AI systems.
"There needs to be pre-deployment risk assessments and certification processes for high-impact AI tools as well," he said.
Lee said public oversight bodies need to be established for independent agencies to oversee compliance, conduct audits and respond to grievances involving AI.
"The future of AI should not be one where technology dictates the terms of our humanity.
"AI should be used to amplify our best qualities, helping us to live more fulfilling lives, build fairer societies and safeguard the well-being of future generations," he said.
