The World Economic Forum (WEF) has announced plans to launch the Centre for Trustworthy Technology to promote responsible production and use of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, blockchain, virtual reality and quantum computing.
Based in Austin, Texas, the Centre for Trustworthy Technology joins a global network of 17 centres connecting public and private sector stakeholders to maximise the benefits of emerging technologies whilst minimising the risks.Â
Jeremy Jurgens, Managing Director, WEF and Head of the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, highlighted the centre’s key role is to ensure that technology is trustworthy and responsibly used.
“When it comes to the application of technology in society, people have legitimate concerns over how their data is used, whether what they are reading and seeing is real and whether their jobs are safe,” said Jurgens.
He added, “Societal trust in and acceptance of technology is dependent on the technologies in question being designed in an inclusive, ethical and responsible manner. We are proud to launch the Centre for Trustworthy Technology to tackle exactly that.”
A platform for collaboration
Created in collaboration with Deloitte and the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, the centre will engage the C4IR network and global collaborators to scale responsible, ethical and safe technology through projects and activities at the national and international level.
The strategic priorities of the Centre will include creating tools and frameworks that promote ethical technology development and use. It will also explore ways to adopt technology to advance the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Furthermore, the Centre for Trustworthy Technology will facilitate knowledge sharing for technology leaders across the public and private sectors and will produce insights on the importance of trustworthy technology. It will also serve as a platform to foster collaboration between key stakeholders in shaping an ethical and trustworthy technology agenda.
