Innovation News

MIT report reveals responsible technology use a critical consideration

Eliza Sayon Jan 12, 2023

2 min read

A new report from the MIT Technology Review Insights, which explored the use of technology, found that responsible technology use has become a key conversation among organisations.

The report “The state of responsible technology” was produced in association with Thoughtworks, a global technology consultancy.

Drawing on a survey of 550 senior executives and in-depth interviews with technology experts from organizations, the report explored how organizations understand responsible technology use as they undergo innovation, what has motivated them to adopt more responsible practices, and what benefits they hope to achieve from this adoption.

“As technology becomes a fundamental part of every business, and as we see consequences of its misuse play out, responsible technology use has become a critical business expectation,” MIT Technology Review Insights Global Editorial Director Laurel Ruma said.

“How companies interpret that obligation, however, and the degree to which their execution is matching up to their aspirations, is rapidly evolving.”

The report found that nearly three-quarters of survey respondents agreed that responsible technology considerations will eventually come to equal business or financial considerations in importance when organizations make decisions about technology use.

Respondents also expected responsible tech investments to pay off in boosted brand reputation and customer and employee retention with the prevention of negative unintended consequences and associated brand risk.

Aside from this, it is also expected that responsible tech use will help attract and retain top talent in an organisation while improving sustainability.

While there was no agreement on which responsible technology practices should take priority in an organisation’s strategy, most of the respondents choose to focus on inclusive design, data privacy, environmental impact, elimination of AI bias, and workforce diversification.

The report also found that many have mixed opinions toward the regulation surrounding responsible technology.

While some expressed trepidation about pending regulation, others cite it as important industry guidance. Nearly one-quarter of respondents state that adherence to laws such as GDPR as well as the anticipation of further regulation is a top motivation for them to adopt responsible tech practices.

“Responsible tech is about exploring—and actively considering—the values, unintended consequences and negative impacts of the tech we create and deploy, and actively managing and mitigating risk and harm,” Thoughtworks CTO Dr Rebecca Parsons said.

“We should all strive to reach a state where technology doesn’t exploit us—it supports us. This research shows that more and more companies recognize this new dimension of the way we live and work.”

With AAP

Eliza Sayon

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Eliza is a content producer and editor at Public Spectrum. She is an experienced writer on topics related to the government and to the public, as well as stories that uplift and improve the community.