The assessment list for trustworthy artificial intelligence: A review and recommendations

Abstract

In July 2020, the European Commission's High-Level Expert Group on AI (HLEG-AI) published the Assessment List for Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence (ALTAI) tool, enabling organizations to perform self-assessments of the fit of their AI systems and surrounding governance to the “7 Principles for Trustworthy AI.” Prior research on ALTAI has focused primarily on specific application areas, but there has yet to be a comprehensive analysis and broader recommendations aimed at proto-regulators and industry practitioners. This paper therefore starts with an overview of this tool, including an assessment of its strengths and limitations. The authors then consider the success by which the ALTAI tool is likely to be of utility to industry in improving understanding of the risks inherent in AI systems and best practices to mitigate such risks. It is highlighted how research and practices from fields such as Environmental Sustainability, Social Justice, and Corporate Governance (ESG) can be of benefit for addressing similar challenges in ethical AI development and deployment. Also explored is the extent to which the tool is likely to be successful in being taken up by industry, considering various factors pertaining to its likely adoption. Finally, the authors also propose recommendations applicable internationally to similar bodies to the HLEG-AI regarding the gaps needing to be addressed between high-level principles and practical support for those on the front-line developing or commercializing AI tools. In all, this work provides a comprehensive analysis of the ALTAI tool, as well as recommendations to relevant stakeholders, with the broader aim of promoting more widespread adoption of such a tool in industry.