Unintended Side Effects of Digital Transition: Perspectives of Japanese Experts

Masahiro Sugiyama, Hiroshi Deguchi, Arisa Ema, Atsuo Kishimoto, Junichiro Mori, Hideaki Shiroyama and Roland W. Scholz
Additional contact information
Masahiro Sugiyama: Policy Alternatives Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku 113-0033, Japan
Hiroshi Deguchi: Department of Computer Sciences, School of Computing, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama 226-8502, Japan
Arisa Ema: Komaba Organization for Educational Excellence, College of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Meguro-ku 153-8902, Japan
Atsuo Kishimoto: Institute for Datability Science, Osaka University, Suita-shi 565-0871, Japan
Junichiro Mori: Policy Alternatives Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku 113-0033, Japan
Hideaki Shiroyama: Policy Alternatives Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku 113-0033, Japan
Roland W. Scholz: Department Knowledge and Information Management, Danube University of Krems, Krems 3500, Austria

Sustainability, 2017, vol. 9, issue 12, 1-20

Abstract: The core of the digital transition is the representation of all kinds of real-world entities and processes and an increasing number of cognitive processes by digital information and algorithms on computers. These allow for seemingly unlimited storage, operation, retrieval, and transmission capacities that make digital tools economically available for all domains of society and empower human action, particularly combined with real-world interfaces such as displays, robots, sensors, 3D printers, etc. Digital technologies are general-purpose technologies providing unprecedented potential benefits for sustainability. However, they will bring about a multitude of potential unintended side effects, and this demands a transdisciplinary discussion on unwanted societal changes as well as a shift in science from analog to digital modeling and structure. Although social discourse has begun, the topical scope and regional coverage have been limited. Here, we report on an expert roundtable on digital transition held in February 2017 in Tokyo, Japan. Drawing on a variety of disciplinary backgrounds, our discussions highlight the importance of cultural contexts and the need to bridge local and global conversations. Although Japanese experts did mention side effects, their focus was on how to ensure that AI and robots could coexist with humans. Such a perspective is not well appreciated everywhere outside Japan. Stakeholder dialogues have already begun in Japan, but greater efforts are needed to engage a broader collection of experts in addition to stakeholders to broaden the social debate.

Keywords: artificial intelligence; robotics; big data; risk governance; unintended side effects; public engagement (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (7)

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