We are the LIMFAC: How Human Decisions Shape Every AI System

LIMFAC is short for limiting factors. We are the LIMFAC when it comes to AI and AI ethics. While much of recent news has been on technological failures of AI or existential worries, the reality is that it's really about people; people are the ones who are developing, deploying, and using this technology in the world today and will do so in the future. Each of our decisions--regardless of where we sit in an AI lifecycle—matter, including AI experts, lawmakers, consumers, etc. Even when an individual is optimizing code, she brings her particular worldview--whether it's conscious or not—into her code optimization decisions. In a sense, she's making a values-laden decision that can affect downstream in the developmental process. Furthermore, an AI system is more than the data, algorithm, and computing power. We are a part of that AI team; thus, we are the LIMFAC.