Make AI More Understandable, Says New Samsung Report

LONDON, UK –Friday 27th September, 2019 –  A new report by Samsung reveals the nation’s views about the future of artificial intelligence and its impact on society;

• The report, canvassing the views of 5,250 people, marks the launch of FAIR Future, a new Samsung initiative to involve everyone in AI by making it easier to understand
• FAIR Future is the nation’s biggest ever conversation about AI, reconnecting everyday people with one of the most important technologies of our age
• Samsung is taking the initiative into communities across the UK through its festivals programme and via its online FAIR Future hub to allow everyone to learn more about AI, how it is already part of their lives, and share their views on how it should be developed
• Minister for Digital, Matt Warman and AI expert and author of Hello World, Hannah Fry, are backing the nationwide initiative

The Samsung FAIR Future report [1] launches today revealing that, despite sometimes negative portrayals in the news and fiction, the public is excited about the positive impact of AI on society. But people feel left out of the conversations around how it’s being developed and are concerned it will discriminate against certain groups.

“Minister for Digital, Matt Warman, speaking at the launch of the initiative”

AI will be a force for good

The FAIR Future report, which canvassed the views of 5,250 people across the UK and Ireland aged 13+, reveals over half (51%) of all people feel that AI will have a positive impact on society as a whole, with only 16% feeling negative about it.

People are looking forward to new AI technology bringing us enhanced healthcare (63%) and giving the elderly or those with disabilities more autonomy in their lives (56%).

And, despite reports predicting the disruptive impacts of AI on different aspects of our lives, very few people are worried about AI as a threat to society – just 20% think it is dangerous.

Lack of influence

Yet, despite feeling optimistic about the impact of AI on society, many feel helpless to influence the way this technology develops, as well as the ethics that govern it.

Over a third (36%) of people believe they or their family will have no influence over how AI develops in future. This is even higher amongst teenagers (58%), who will arguably be most impacted by this technology in future.

Concerns over bias

People want to influence AI ethics because they are concerned about how the technology might affect society in future.

Almost four in ten (39%) feel that AI will hold some form of bias, even higher (43%) for those who say they are interested in AI, mainly because of the potential for humans to programme their own biases into it.

People believe this bias might encourage people to act on their existing prejudices (35%) and that this will be exacerbated for groups that already face discrimination in society based on their race, gender, sexuality or beliefs (31%).

Over two-thirds (70%) are concerned that there could be future conflict between AI and humans, with 27% of young people seeing this as a significant issue. This may be influenced by the fact that most people get their information about AI from the media, word of mouth and fiction, as opposed to those closest to the development of the technology such as the government or tech companies3. For example, just 30% of people who frequently see AI in fiction say it is portrayed positively.

Ethical dilemmas

People are also keen to have a say in how AI ethics are shaped, as opinion is still divided about how we approach the ethical dilemmas AI will face.

When asked about potential ethical dilemmas, many people were unable to definitively say how they thought AI should respond. For example, whether an automated car should opt to save multiple lives of pedestrians over the life of a driver, or whether AI technology should be used if it saves lives but costs people their jobs.

That’s why Samsung is launching its FAIR Future initiative, to involve everyone in AI, by;

• Creating a FAIR Future online hub, to help people better understand what AI is, how AI is already part of their lives, and explore how it might evolve in the future
• Taking FAIR Future on the road and into communities – letting people get ‘hands-on’ with the latest tech, and hearing how they want AI to help them, starting with Norwich Science Festival in October 2019.
• Sharing what we learn with wider AI stakeholders, including the UK Government, to help inform broader thinking about AI ethics and shape the future

Hannah Fry, Associate Professor in the mathematics of cities at University College London, has explored the implications of AI on human society in her book Hello World and is supporting Samsung’s FAIR Future initiative to encourage more people to have a say in how AI ethics is shaped.

“It’s difficult to imagine an industry that will be untouched by AI – from how we travel, to how we diagnose and treat medical conditions or sentence criminals. The changes that are coming are going to affect all of us – for better or worse – and we all deserve a say in what our future should look like.

“Dr Hannah Fry at the FAIR Future event”

“That’s why it’s so important to open the doors to a national conversation. It’s why I’m enormously proud to be part of this project, to de-mystify artificial intelligence, to take stock of the public’s attitude to AI, and to hear people’s concerns. To do so in a way that invites rather than excludes and to allow everyone to be a part of shaping the way ahead.”

Teg Dosanjh, Director of Connected Living for Samsung UK and Ireland, said: “Over the past few years, we, the tech industry, have not done a good job at making AI understandable to everyday people. People feel disconnected and unable to influence the technology that will shape the way they live in future. This needs to change if AI is going to become a technology that benefits human beings and helps everyone in society.

“That’s why at Samsung we’re leading the nation’s biggest ever conversation on AI from the bottom-up to hear the views of real people. It’s clear that people want a role in helping shape the future of AI ethics and with our programme of events and online hub, we’re reconnecting everyone with one of the most influential technologies of our age. Through this, we hope to stimulate awareness, understanding and promote individual control of AI in people’s lives.

“We’ll also be sharing these extensive and unique consumer insights with stakeholders that will shape the future strategy of AI and ultimately give consumers more control over the development and application of this technology.”

Minister for Digital Matt Warman, said: “It is great to see Samsung launch their FAIR Future initiative to encourage people around the country to discuss artificial intelligence. We are already seeing AI being used in our daily lives – from helping to tackle fake news, detecting cancer earlier and identifying fraudulent transactions – but it is important that the public have faith in the technology so that we can explore its full potential.

“Through the AI Council and the Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation Government has empowered leaders across tech, academia and business to make the most of cutting-edge technology as a force for good. We want to make sure the UK remains a world leader in computing technologies and I encourage everyone to get involved and have their say.”

To find out more about the FAIR Future programme and download the full report, visit the website at

[1]  https://www.samsung.com/uk/FAIRFuture