Convening the world’s experts to develop an aligned global approach to navigating ethical decision making in Society 5.0
This multi-year project brings together thought leaders, government, and industry experts on an international scale to:
- identify and mitigate threats to society prompted by next generation technology innovation
- navigate pathways for ethical design and use of emerging technologies
- centralise social concerns in discussions of data and digital disruptions.
Through the project, we’ll identify the ethical threats arising from emerging technologies to develop a comprehensive statement of commitments and principles, as well as sets of best practices to guide development of technological innovations.
What is Society 5.0?
Society 5.0 is a broad label for the near-future, inseparable interconnection between humans and technologies in the era of artificial intelligence and machine learning. It is characterised by ever-increasing data gathering, ubiquitous predictive analytics, AI-saturated systems, and immersive internet.
Without more nuanced approaches, technology development will continue to wreak havoc for individuals, cities, and businesses across the globe.
Why does the world need a new Ethical Future for Society 5.0?
Every new ethical problem reminds us that we need to disrupt our current mindsets about what society should become.
There are no comprehensive statements of commitments, principles, or ethical guidelines to protect and advance ethics and human rights during the next leap of technology.
Without a global consensus around the principles of technology best practices and governance, we will continue to face ongoing challenges brought about by data breaches, misinformation, rampant data surveillance, personal data risks. We will also remain unprepared for emerging risks that accompany ungoverned development and deployment of automated, augmentative, invasive, or immersive technologies. Positioning human needs at the forefront of these technologies is critical to ensure new innovations embed ethical principles and human rights at their core.
A planetary issue requires a planetary response
Our business, industry, and community partners will gain priority access to an international team of experts for guidance and tailored recommendations in the face of ethical threats as technology advances.
Using a cross-sectoral and global outlook approach the team can provide long term and transcontinental guidance that reflects independent, evidence-based advice for the next generation of technological innovations.
- Priority access to thought leadership and expertise.
- Targeted identification of critical legal, ethical, social, and other risks to your organisation.
- Exclusive mapping of vulnerable domains.
- Bespoke advice and co-designed strategies for developing comprehensive guidelines and policies to protect your organisation from legal, ethical, social, and financial risks.
- Forecasting of the potential risks of inaction for particular groups (e.g., workforce implications)
- Providing catalysts for incorporating ethical principles in design and implementation of new technologies.
Timeline
Our people
Professor Annette Markham
Co-initiator and lead
Utrecht University Professor of Future Data Literacies and Public Engagement, Global digital culture and ethics expert
Professor Lisa Given
Co-initiator and lead
RMIT Professor, Global information science and ethics expert
Distinguished Professor Jason Potts
Co-initiator
RMIT Professor, blockchain and web3 futures expert
Professor Julian Thomas
Co-initiator
RMIT Professor, AI and decision-making expert
Professor Karin Verspoor
Co-initiator
RMIT Professor, Machine learning in health expert
Our partners
Our international advisory team brings together voices from multiple networks:
- Philip Howard, Chair of the International Panel on Information Environments
- Gina Neff, Executive Director of the Minderoo Centre for Technology & Democracy, University of Cambridge
- Helen Kennedy, Chief Investigator of The ESRC Digital Good Network
- Michael Zimmer, Director of the Centre for Data, Ethics, and Society, Marquette University
Support for this initiative:
- RMIT Blockchain Innovation Hub
- Australia Research Council Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and Society (ADM+S)
- RMIT Centre for Information Discovery and Data Analytics (CIDDA)
- Utrecht University Department of Media and Culture Studies
Interested in collaborating?
Key contacts: Professor Annette Markham (Utrecht University) and Professor Lisa Given (RMIT University)
Email: society5ethics@rmit.edu.au
Current opportunities for engagement
- We’re looking for partners to be part of exciting new research projects
- Express your interest in sponsoring or participating in one of the four phases
- Become a part of our network and receive upcoming event information
