Ten Guidelines for Intelligent Systems Futures

Abstract

Intelligent systems – those that leverage the power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) – are set to transform how we live, travel, learn, relate to each other and experience the world. This paper details outcomes of a global study, where a multi-pronged methodology was adopted to identify people’s perceptions, attitudes, thresholds and expectations of intelligent systems and to assess their perspectives toward concepts focused on bringing such systems in the home, car, and workspace. After background details grounding the study’s rationale, the paper first outlines the research approach and then summarizes key findings, including a discussion on how people’s knowledge of intelligent systems impacts their understandings of (and willingness to embrace) such systems; an overview of the domino effect of smart things; an outline of people’s concerns with, flexibility toward and need to maintain control over intelligent systems; and a discussion of people’s preference for helper usages, as well as insights on how people view Affective Computing. Ten design guidelines that were informed by the study findings are outlined in the fourth section, while the last part of the paper offers conclusive remarks, alongside open questions and a call for action that focuses on designers’ and developers’ moral and ethical responsibility for how intelligent systems futures are being and will be shaped.