Promoting Responsible AI in Start-ups, SMEs

Using artificial intelligence (AI) technology responsibly is key to driving innovation in startups and small and medium-sized enterprises.

Mr. Eric Yeo General Director of AWS Vietnam

AI is one of the most disruptive technologies of our time, with the potential to bring value to every aspect of our lives. To make this potential a reality, we need to carefully navigate the development of AI, balancing the economic benefits while ensuring that the right policies are in place to mitigate potential risks.

Communities, businesses and governments need to work together to solve this problem and promote innovation. This is especially important as 97% of employers in ASEAN expect their businesses to become AI-powered organizations by 2028, according to a recent study conducted by Amazon in Asia Pacific . The majority of employers (96%) believe that the IT department will benefit the most from AI, with R&D (94%), finance (93%), sales and marketing (92%), legal (86%), and HR (88%) also expected to see significant benefits.

However, AI can seem overwhelming for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), as they often lack the time and resources to experiment with new solutions. This can stifle innovation and reduce growth opportunities due to delays in AI adoption.

Amazon believes that the responsible use of AI technology is key to fostering innovation. We are committed to developing fair and accurate AI services, and affirm the important role of governments in promoting responsible AI, creating a solid foundation for the development of businesses in ASEAN.

The trend of community-based AI development

In an increasingly interconnected world, a key element for developing responsible AI is local community engagement. In ASEAN, many of the tools used to build and govern AI, such as the large language model (LLM) that underpins generative AI (Gen AI), need to be developed with diverse contributions from regional representatives.

Bringing diverse and localized perspectives into AI development is crucial to help more people shape this emerging technology, make AI more relevant to each community, and ensure that they have the opportunity to influence AI-driven trends that will impact their lives and livelihoods.

A key element to achieving this is investing in and expanding access to AI skills training. Demand for AI skills training is growing rapidly in the region. AWS research shows that more than 9 in 10 workers in ASEAN are interested in developing AI skills to advance their careers, and this interest spans across generations.

More than 90% of Gen Z, Millennials, and Gen X workers want to learn AI skills, while 86% of Baby Boomers (the group of people who are preparing for retirement) said they would be willing to take an AI skills training course if given the opportunity.

Our research also shows that having a workforce that is proficient in AI skills can bring huge productivity benefits to ASEAN countries. Surveyed employers predict a 54% increase in productivity as AI technology automates repetitive tasks, improves workflows, results, and increases communication efficiency.

In addition to increasing productivity, participation in AI skills upgrading programs enables more people to participate in AI-related discussions and contribute their diverse perspectives to global policy-making processes that will influence the systems, norms, and mechanisms in their daily lives.

Investing in AI to Build a Responsible Future

Employers play a vital role in encouraging employees to adopt new skills and competencies, preparing them for the AI workplace, and staying up to date with new developments in the field. This is especially important for small and medium-sized businesses to take full advantage of the productivity benefits of AI and get involved in AI development from the very beginning.

Comprehensive, structured learning paths can be designed to help employees move from basic AI skills to advanced concepts and capabilities. Applying these concepts to real-world scenarios can help quickly demonstrate the value of AI in a variety of situations and prepare employees to harness AI effectively. For example, Amazon Web Services (AWS) offers free courses on generative AI as part of its “AI Ready” initiative, which aims to train more than two million workers globally by 2025.

Employers can also take advantage of AWS’s comprehensive cloud training resources, including more than 70 free skills courses in Vietnamese. Since 2017, AWS has trained more than 50,000 workers in cloud skills.

These courses help employers assess and identify skills gaps and tailor training to their specific business needs; demonstrate how AI is designed to support, not replace, teams; explore how AI can complement existing capabilities; improve productivity; create new career opportunities; and tap into in-depth training programs on practical applications of AI technology, including generative AI.

When organizations, governments, and communities come together to build frameworks and standards for responsible AI, we will be able to harness and realize the potential of AI to create better societies for everyone.

Source: https://baodautu.vn/thuc-day-ai-co-trach-nhiem-trong-start-up-doanh-nghiep-nho-va-vua-d226160.html