Abstract
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are internationally agreed goals that allow us to determine what humanity, as represented by 193 member states, finds acceptable and desirable. The paper explores how technology can be used to address the SDGs and in particular Smart Information Systems (SIS). SIS, the technologies that build on big data analytics, typically facilitated by AI techniques such as machine learning, are expected to grow in importance and impact. Some of these impacts are likely to be beneficial, notably the growth in efficiency and profits, which will contribute to societal wellbeing. At the same time, there are significant ethical concerns about the consequences of algorithmic biases, job loss, power asymmetries and surveillance, as a result of SIS use. SIS have the potential to exacerbate inequality and further entrench the market dominance of big tech companies, if left uncontrolled. Measuring the impact of SIS on SDGs thus provides a way of assessing whether an SIS or an application of such a technology is acceptable in terms of balancing foreseeable benefits and harms. One possible approach is to use the SDGs as guidelines to determine the ethical nature of SIS implementation. While the idea of using SDGs as a yardstick to measure the acceptability of emerging technologies is conceptually strong, there should be empirical evidence to support such approaches. The paper describes the findings of a set of 6 case studies of SIS across a broad range of application areas, such as smart cities, agriculture, finance, insurance and logistics, explicitly focusing on ethical issues that SIS commonly raise and empirical insights from organisations using these technologies.
Highlights
Smart information systems (SIS), those technologies that build on big data analytics, typically facilitated by artificial intelligence techniques such as machine learning implemented through deep neural networks [1], are expected to grow in importance and impact
This paper shows that Smart Information Systems (SIS) holds the potential to contribute to achieving desirable social goals, such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), while at the same time creating a range of ethical concerns
It is clear from the multiple case study analysis that SIS are playing a significant role in efforts towards meeting the SDGs
Summary
Smart information systems (SIS), those technologies that build on big data analytics, typically facilitated by artificial intelligence techniques such as machine learning implemented through deep neural networks [1], are expected to grow in importance and impact Some of these impacts are likely to be beneficial, notably the growth in efficiency and profits, which will contribute to societal wellbeing [2,3]. The paper makes several important contributions to literature It is one of the first pieces of research to conduct an empirical cross-case analysis of the ethical consequences of SIS use. It contributes to a better understanding of these technologies, which is crucial in a range of fields and disciplines, including Information Systems and Sustainability Studies. The paper concludes by making suggestions based on lessons learnt from the findings, both theoretically and practically, and proposes steps that should be taken
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary 
Published Version (
Free)
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
