AI Accountability Mechanisms Survey

Purpose of the Study

The proposed study concerns accountability mechanisms in artificial intelligence (AI) projects.

AI systems are becoming more prevalent and used in many different aspects of daily life. The systems are developed by computer and data scientists in projects. The systems are used by government, commercial, and private actors. Thus, it is important to understand who is accountable for the benefits or harms of the systems. How do we hold those developers and users accountable? This study proposed to answer the following questions:

  • What mechanisms can stakeholders use to hold organizations accountable for the societal impacts of AI systems?
  • What mechanisms can project sponsors use to hold the project manager accountable for the outputs, outcomes, and impacts of AI projects?
  • How much autonomy does the project manager have when using AI systems for project management tasks?

Participant Profile

This research will use surveys to gather stakeholders’ opinions on the mechanisms for holding organizations, individuals, developers, or users accountable for AI development or usage harms or benefits.

The stakeholders include people who are 1) responsible for or 2) impacted by the development or use of AI systems, including:

  • Chief Executive Officers and business leaders
  • Chief Information Officers and IT Managers
  • Project Leaders and Project Managers
  • Project team members (e.g., computer and data scientists)
  • The general public

One or more surveys may be used to target each of the stakeholders.

Study Benefits

For a small investment of time, participants provide input to guide policy decisions on holding individuals accountable for their decisions in developing or using AI systems. Further, upon request, each participant is entitled to a copy of the survey results for participating in the study.

Payment

There is no payment for participation in the study.

Confidentiality

The survey data will be collected anonymously. The researcher will not know the identity of the participants unless they agree to an interview. In the case of an interview, personal information will remain confidential and not be known to the other participants. Email addresses, telephone, and video chats will be used as the primary means of communication, if relevant. No attempt will be made to sell anything or influence participants’ thinking.

Right to Refuse or Withdraw

The decision to participate in this study is voluntary and may be stopped at any time. The participant has the right to withdraw from the study.

Right to Ask Questions and Report Concerns

The participant has the right to ask questions about the research and have those questions answered before, during, or after. The researcher may be contacted if some problems or concerns occur due to participation. The researcher is a member of the Academy of Management and abides by the AOM ethical standards for research and publication https://aom.org/About-AOM/AOM-Code-of-Ethics.aspx.

Consent

The participant must provide personal contact data to receive a copy of the study results. That information will be stored in a database system accessible by the researcher. In such cases, that information will only be used for the purposes for which it was collected. No sales calls will result from participation in the study.