The World Economic Forum is establishing a Center for Trustworthy Technology in Austin, Texas. Its aim is to promote efficient design and use of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, blockchain, virtual reality and quantum computing.
Jeremy Jurgens, Managing Director of the World Economic Forum and Director of the Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, emphasized the important role that the center can play in ensuring that technology is reliable and used effectively.
“When it comes to how technology is used in society, people have legitimate concerns about how their data is being used, whether what they are reading and seeing is real and whether their work is secure. Public trust and acceptance of technology depends on the technologies being proposed being developed in an inclusive, fair and intelligent manner. We are proud to establish the Center for Trustworthy Technology to make this possible,” he said.
The Center for Trustworthy Technology joins a global network of 17 centers connecting public and private organizations to maximize the benefits of emerging technologies and reduce risks. Developed in partnership with Deloitte and the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, the center will connect with C4IR’s network of partners around the world to achieve reliable, ethical and safe technology through international projects and activities.
“Deloitte has been on a multi-year journey of implementing trust and ethical technology practices within our organization as part of our ongoing operations,” said Beena Ammanath, Managing Director, Deloitte Consulting LLP, and leader of Deloitte’s Technology Trust Ethics practice. “We understand that technology must be sustainable, diverse and inclusive for all people and the sustainability of our planet. We are proud to be the pioneers of this space as we move to the next level to promote trust in technology.”
“When technology becomes an important part of human affairs, our future will be defined by our ability today to create trust and define ethical values in technology design, development and delivery. This center promises to bring together representatives from different sectors and communities to present their vision of the future of humanity , technology,” said Vilas S. Dhar, President of the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation.
Priorities include developing tools and frameworks that encourage ethical technology development and use. The center will explore ways to use technology to advance the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
It will facilitate the sharing of knowledge among technology leaders in both the public and private sectors, spreading information to raise awareness of the importance of reliable technology. In addition, the center will provide an opportunity to invite stakeholders from the government, business, academia and society to develop a reliable and trustworthy technology policy.
