AI Transparency in Practice

March 20, 2023
AI Transparency in Practice Report

Overview

Transparency is at the heart of responsible AI. In this study, we explore the concept of meaningful AI transparency, which aims to provide useful and actionable information tailored to the literacy and needs of specific stakeholders. We survey current approaches, assess their limitations, and chart out how meaningful transparency might be achieved.

The study was conducted in light of upcoming regulation, such as the AI regulation in Europe’s AI Act, the Federal Trade Commission’s increased attention to AI, and the US AI regulation on the horizon.

Based on surveys and interviews with 59 builders with transparency expertise from a range of organizations, the report examines the current state of AI transparency and the challenges it faces.

Findings include low motivation and incentives for transparency, low confidence in existing explainability tools, difficulties with providing meaningful information, and a lack of focus on social and environmental transparency. The report highlights the need for greater awareness of and emphasis on AI transparency, and provides practical guidance for effective transparency design.

In the absence of adequate ex-post explanation solutions, we encourage builders to consider using interpretable models rather than black-box solutions for applications in which traceability is a design requirement. We aim to build a community around best practices and solutions and raise awareness of transparency frameworks and methods.