As we build new software and other technologies, we do not often consider the ethical implications of these tools. Considerations like how a piece of code may be used by a malicious actor, whether a hardware design could be modified for a nefarious purpose, or simply how an algorithm might affect different classes of person differently are not always top of mind. However they should be. That is why Linux Foundation Training & Certification has partnered with the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF) and Ethical Intelligence to develop a free online training course, “Ethics in Open Source Development”.
The course is designed primarily for product managers who want to learn how to effectively incorporate ethics-by-design techniques into their workflows, and developers wanting to apply ethics through critical thinking techniques and proven mental frameworks. It explores how to operationalize ethics as a tool for efficient and effective decision-making when developing and using open source technology as you explore critical thinking techniques and proven mental frameworks.
Topics covered in the 2-3 hour course include the case for ethics, safeguards, evaluation, action planning, monitoring and more. Upon completion, participants will be able to:
- Assess and address current technology for any ethical blind spots
- Apply ethical critical thinking techniques to design workflow
- Understand and utilize the Ethics Journey Cycle in open source development
- Operationalize ethics as a decision-making tool for risk mitigation and innovation
When it comes to developing open source technology, there are certain essential ethical principles, such as transparency and accessibility, that will thrive in the open source format. At the same time, other principles, such as responsibility and privacy, will present unique challenges that must be addressed. The key is to understand how to develop the technology in a way that innovation is maximized while challenges are expertly navigated and solved.
The course was developed by Olivia Gambelin, Rahaf Albalkhi, Dr. Michael Klenk, and Rand Hirmiz. Olivia is an AI Ethicist who works with entrepreneurs and technologists to ensure emerging technology is designed with human values at the core, and serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Ethical Intelligence where she leads a remote team of over sixty experts in the Tech Ethics field. Rahaf is a member of the IEEE P7003-Algorithmic bias considerations working group where she leads the evaluation section, and volunteers as a research assistant on employment equity in the tech sector of British Colombia at the Inclusion Project. Michael is a moral philosopher and former management consultant who works with organizations to help them legitimately meet their ethical challenges. Rand is a philosophy Ph.D. candidate at York University, specializing in the ethics of AI in healthcare.
Upon completion of the course, participants will be prepared for specific roles such as Responsible Technologist or Ethics Developer Lead, but will also help developers who want to incorporate responsible innovation and ethics into their work. Enroll today and start thinking about how to better incorporate ethics into your development practices.
