Designing Digital Tools for Human-centered Assessment of AI-Powered Products

Mentor: Sara Colombo, sara.colombo@tudelft.nl

Problem:  AI-powered products and services, from virtual assistants to recommendation systems, are increasingly becoming integral to our daily lives. However, this technological advancement comes with significant ethical and societal considerations that need to be addressed. For instance, the use of AI in content recommendations can perpetuate stereotypes and limit exposure to diverse perspectives, AI in hiring may lead to discrimination against underrepresented candidates, and AI-driven devices raise privacy concerns when user data is mishandled. There is a pressing need to provide designers and developers with tools to analyze the ethical implications and human impact of AI use. How can designers be assisted in assessing the impact of their designs on individuals and society?
 
Goal: The primary goal is to develop tools (e.g. canvas, framework, etc.) that empower designers and developers to evaluate the ethical use of AI in their products. These tools will focus on assessing the impact on end-users, the potential for bias, discrimination, or other ethical concerns, and ways to enhance the human-centered aspects of AI integration.
 
Methods: The project will combine AI ethics, human-computer interaction, and user experience design. It will involve literature research on existing ethical guidelines, design activities, as well as user testing and feedback collection to assess the tool effectiveness.
 
Impact: This tool will enable designers to assess and enhance the ethical implementation of AI in their products, fostering a more human-centered approach to AI technology.
 
Relevance: By equipping designers and developers with accessible tools, the project contributes to a more ethically conscious and human-centered AI ecosystem, ensuring that AI technologies are developed and integrated in ways that align with human values and needs.