Challenges in Value-Sensitive AI Design: Insights from AI Practitioner Interviews

Abstract

As AI systems become increasingly prevalent in critical domains, ensuring their alignment with stakeholders’ values is essential. However, recent studies have revealed deficiencies in socio-technical design processes and design activities for AI, particularly in eliciting diverse stakeholder values and integrating them into system design and development. To investigate these challenges empirically, we conducted 30 semi-structured interviews with AI practitioners. Our findings reveal several key challenges faced during AI design and development. Firstly, practitioners struggle with identifying and involving stakeholders due to uncertainties regarding user demo-graphics, and a lack of interdisciplinary expertise. Secondly, they encounter obstacles in integrating values into technologies, citing practical complexities, unclear responsibilities, and limited support. This paper presents a concept map detailing these four primary barriers and discusses potential strategies and recommendations for overcoming them. These strategies revolve around improving value elicitation practices, facilitating more meaningful stakeholder engagement, and understanding the impact of stakeholder values By qualitatively describing the barriers to integrating stakeholder values into AI systems, this study contributes to the emerging field of value-sensitive AI.