On January 6, 2025, Microsoft’s Chief Product Officer of Responsible AI (artificial intelligence), Sarah Bird, introduced the company’s commissioned white paper with IDC: The Business Case for Responsible AI. Commissioned and sponsored by Microsoft and based on the IDC’s Worldwide Responsible AI Survey, also sponsored by Microsoft, the IDC White Paper is intended to demonstrate how leaders in technology can build trustworthy AI.
“At Microsoft, we are dedicated to enabling every person and organization to use and build AI that is trustworthy,” Bird wrote. “AI that is private, safe, and secure… Our approach to safe AI, or responsible AI, is grounded in our core values, risk management, compliance practices, advanced tools and technologies, and the dedication of individuals committed to deploying and using generative AI responsibly.”
Increased Use of Generative AI and Its Potential
According to Bird’s report, the use of generative AI has increased from 55% in 2023 to 75% in 2024. Across the board, businesses, industries, governments, and individuals have recognized AI as a technological game-changer capable of reshaping the modern digital landscape and, at the least, possibly daily life.
AI’s potential for driving innovation and enhancing operational efficiency is already being realized. However, as with every new technology, it carries new risks and challenges. Ensuring the safe and responsible use of AI is paramount, and The Business Case for Responsible AI aims to promote this.
“We believe that a responsible AI approach fosters innovation by ensuring that AI technologies are developed and deployed in a manner that is fair, transparent, and accountable,” Bird continued. “IDC’s Worldwide Responsible AI Survey found that 91% of organizations are currently using AI technology and expect more than a 24% improvement in customer experience, business resilience, sustainability, and operational efficiency due to AI in 2024.”
AI’s Impact on Global Industry
Certainly, the implementation of AI technology has had a significant impact on the global industry. That said, AI has introduced new concerns that responsible use must address. Organizations are incentivized to replace employees with AI solutions, defer customers to chatbots, and rely on the technology to make informed decisions. Organizations that use responsible AI solutions can benefit from improved data privacy, customer experiences, decision-making, and brand trust, but only if they are implemented safely.
“[Responsible AI] solutions are built with tools and methodologies to identify, assess, and mitigate potential risks throughout their development and deployment,” Bird explained.
Pursuing Responsible AI
Moving forward, AI will be essential for building a resilient, efficient, and innovative business model. It enables remarkable transformation and growth opportunities but carries significant risks if no actions are taken to mitigate potential issues. While it is difficult to anticipate how AI might impact businesses, individuals, and societies as a whole, the adoption of a responsible AI approach ensures that organizations can, as Bird states, “align AI deployment with their values and societal expectations.”
By aligning a business’ AI approach with its existing values and outside expectations, it can ensure that its AI approach is viewed more positively and with a degree of trust. The IDC outlines four foundational elements for a business to follow when implementing responsible AI, including:
- Core Values and Governance: Organizations should define responsible AI in their mission and principles while establishing clear governance around the technology. This will build confidence and trust in its implementation.
- Risk Management and Compliance: Organizations should strengthen compliance with their own principles and existing regulations to mitigate risk. Additionally, they should implement risk management frameworks for regular reporting and monitoring.
- Technologies: Organizations should use tools and techniques to support principles of fairness, explainability, robustness, accountability, and privacy in AI systems.
- Workforce: Organizations should provide employees with training that clearly explains responsible AI principles to promote the responsible adoption and implementation of the technology.
“As organizations navigate the complexities of AI adoption,” Bird concluded, “it is important to make responsible AI an integrated practice across the organization. By doing so, organizations can harness the full potential of AI while using it in a manner that is fair and beneficial for all.”
