Consider Localism

I often get asked what we should do about the cultural differences in people’s expectations of autonomous vehicle behavior. Should we have different AI ethics for different countries? Should the vehicle change its ethics settings when it crosses state lines within the same country? More generally, should we create different AIs for different countries or cultures, to reflect each particular culture’s values when it comes to driving etiquette, workplace norms, censorship of racy images, medical ethics, gender roles, and so on?

Let us stick with driving for now, to simplify the discussion. There is room for both local rules and universal standards, whether in AI ethics or any domain. We live in a world with universal human rights and universal traffic signs. But we also have different legal systems reflecting different legal, religious and cultural traditions.

The ‘Stop’ sign and the ‘Give Way’ sign have a universal meaning. At the same time, rules vary between and within countries. For example, there are differences in traffic rules when it comes to who gets priority at an intersection. When I moved to Boston in 2015, I was supremely confused by the fact that I can turn right at a red light, unless there was an explicit indication not to. Consequently, I had my fair share of angry people honking from behind. Eventually, I adapted. And driverless cars probably should.

The speed limit, from school zones to highways, is another area of considerable variation across the globe. In Germany, where I currently live, the federal highway system, known as the ‘Autobahn’, is infamous for having zones with no regulated speed limits whatsoever. There is often just an ‘advisory’ speed limit of 130 kilometers per hour (81 mph). I once drove at 180km/h (112mph) for a few seconds, just to see what it feels like, only to see cars whizzing by me at what appeared to be 250km/h (155mph) minimum.

It is likely that autonomous cars, and AI systems more broadly, will have to take into account regional variations in law and culture. This would likely reduce tensions, and the sense that AI systems are a new tool for cultural invasion.