Want the legal right to ignore your boss outside working hours? Learn from the French; The Guardian, August 23, 2024

 Alexander Hurst, The Guardian; Want the legal right to ignore your boss outside working hours? Learn from the French

"Every August, the same set of transatlantic memes about work and holiday circulate on social media. The European is depicted as out of the office with a strict attitude towards switching off and not responding to clients (“I’m away camping for the summer – please contact me as of 2 September”) while for the American there is no such luxury (“I’m in the hospital – I’m so so sorry for the 30-minute delay in getting back to you!”)...

Since 2017, French labour law has included the “right to disconnect” – a measure the UK government is now also considering. The law, which applies to companies with more than 50 workers, obliges businesses to clearly define normal working hours and set out policies around work communications negotiated with employees, andallows workers to be unreachable, or to not reply, when work is over. Other European countries, including Belgium, Spain and Italy, have since followed suit.

Sarah Wachter, communications manager at a Paris-based fintech company, says that at her workplace “there is so much encouragement not to respond after hours”, which she attributes to “a combination of knowing it’s the law and knowing that people support it. I feel 100% in my rights to disconnect every weekend, in the evenings, when I’m sick, on vacation. I feel no pressure to answer my emails or other work communications.”

In contrast, Sabina, a 29-year-old American currently working remotely from Paris, told me that she was seeking a transfer to her company’s European office – in part because she was fed up with the expectation that she would always be available."

Australian employees now have the right to ignore work emails, calls after hours; Reuters, August 26, 2024

Lewis Jackson, Reuters; Australian employees now have the right to ignore work emails, calls after hours

"Is your boss texting you on the weekend? Work email pinging long after you've left for home?

Australian employees can now ignore those and other intrusions into home life thanks to a new "right to disconnect" law designed to curb the creep of work emails and calls into personal lives.

The new rule, which came into force on Monday, means employees, in most cases, cannot be punished for refusing to read or respond to contacts from their employers outside work hours."

AI Ethics Part Two: AI Framework Best Practices; Mondaq, August 29, 2024

  Laura Gibbs ,Ben Verley Justin Gould, Kristin Morrow, Rebecca Reeder, Monday; AI Ethics Part Two: AI Framework Best Practices

"Ethical artificial intelligence frameworks are still emerging across both public and private sectors, making the task of building a responsible AI program particularly challenging. Organizations often struggle to define the right requirements and implement effective measures. So, where do you start if you want to integrate AI ethics into your operations?

In Part I of our AI ethics series, we highlighted the growing pressure on organizations to adopt comprehensive ethics frameworks and the impact of failing to do so. We emphasized the key motivators for businesses to proactively address potential risks before they become reality.

This article delves into what an AI ethics framework is and why it is vital for mitigating these risks and fostering responsible AI use. We review AI ethics best practices, explore common challenges and pitfalls, and draw insights from the experiences of leading industry players across various sectors. We also discuss key considerations to ensure an effective and actionable AI ethics framework, providing a solid foundation for your journey towards ethical AI implementation.

AI Ethics Framework: Outline

A comprehensive AI ethics framework offers practitioners a structured guide with established rules and practices, enabling the identification of control points, performance boundaries, responses to deviations, and acceptable risk levels. Such a framework ensures timely ethical decision-making by asking the right questions. Below, we detail the main functions, core components, and key controls necessary for a robust AI ethics framework."

Essential Skills for IT Professionals in the AI Era; IEEE Spectrum, August 27, 2024

 KUMAR SINGIRIKONDA , IEEE Spectrum; Essential Skills for IT Professionals in the AI Era

"Artificial Intelligence is transforming industries worldwide, creating new opportunities in health care, finance, customer service, and other disciplines. But the ascendance of AI raises concerns about job displacement, especially as the technology might automate tasks traditionally done by humans.

Jobs that involve data entry, basic coding, and routine system maintenance are at risk of being eliminated—which might worry new IT professionals. AI also creates new opportunities for workers, however, such as developing and maintaining new systems, data analysis, and cybersecurity. If IT professionals enhance their skills in areas such as machine learning, natural language processing, and automation, they can remain competitive as the job market evolves.

Here are some skills IT professionals need to stay relevant, as well as advice on how to thrive and opportunities for growth in the industry...

Key insights into AI ethics

Understanding the ethical considerations surrounding AI technologies is crucial. Courses on AI ethics and policy provide important insights into ethical implications, government regulations, stakeholder perspectives, and AI’s potential societal, economic, and cultural impacts.

I recommend reviewing case studies to learn from real-world examples and to get a grasp of the complexities surrounding ethical decision-making. Some AI courses explore best practices adopted by organizations to mitigate risks."

Ethical and Responsible AI: A Governance Framework for Boards; Directors & Boards, August 27, 2024

 Sonita Lontoh, Directors & Boards; Ethical and Responsible AI: A Governance Framework for Boards 

"Boards must understand what gen AI is being used for and its potential business value supercharging both efficiencies and growth. They must also recognize the risks that gen AI may present. As we have already seen, these risks may include data inaccuracy, bias, privacy issues and security. To address some of these risks, boards and companies should ensure that their organizations' data and security protocols are AI-ready. Several criteria must be met:

• Data must be ethically governed. Companies' data must align with their organization's guiding principles. The different groups inside the organization must also be aligned on the outcome objectives, responsibilities, risks and opportunities around the company's data and analytics.
• Data must be secure. Companies must protect their data to ensure that intruders don't get access to it and that their data doesn't go into someone else's training model.
• Data must be free of bias to the greatest extent possible. Companies should gather data from diverse sources, not from a narrow set of people of the same age, gender, race or backgrounds. Additionally, companies must ensure that their algorithms do not inadvertently perpetuate bias.
• AI-ready data must mirror real-world conditions. For example, robots in a warehouse need more than data; they also need to be taught the laws of physics so they can move around safely.
• AI-ready data must be accurate. In some cases, companies may need people to double-check data for inaccuracy.

It's important to understand that all these attributes build on one another. The more ethically governed, secure, free of bias and enriched a company's data is, the more accurate its AI outcomes will be."

EXAMINING THE WORKS OF C.S. LEWIS: CRITICAL THINKING AND ETHICS; United States Air Force Academy, August 26, 2024

 Randy Roughton, U.S. Air Force Academy Strategic Communications , United States Air Force Academy; EXAMINING THE WORKS OF C.S. LEWIS: CRITICAL THINKING AND ETHICS

"Twentieth-century author C.S. Lewis’s books dominate the top shelf in Dr. Adam Pelser’s office. Pelser, who was recently recognized as an Inaugural Fellow of the Inklings Project, has used Lewis’ work to teach critical thinking skills and ethics in his Department of Philosophy course since 2018...

Reading with a critical eye

In Pelser’s course, cadets evaluate and discuss the philosophical arguments and themes in some of Lewis’s most influential non-fiction books and essays. They also observe how Lewis interacted with the philosophers and philosophies of his era, including the Oxford philosopher Elizabeth Anscombe, and the most noteworthy philosophers in history such as Aristotle, Plato, Immanuel Kant and David Hume.

Cadets read a series of Lewis books and learn to approach them with “a critical eye,” Pelser said. Like their professor, the cadets can raise their objections to Lewis’s arguments and study how the author interacted with his era’s other great thinkers...

Pelser has four goals for each course. First, he wants to deepen an understanding of the philosophical themes in Lewis’ writings. Second is a deeper understanding of the historical and contemporary philosophical influences on Lewis’s thought. The third goal is for cadets to learn to identify and summarize theses and arguments in philosophical texts. Finally, he wants each cadet to write and think through arguments carefully and clearly.

“A major critical thinking component is the dialogue in class when we push each other and challenge ideas,” Pelser said. “That is an important skill they learn in our course.”"

Chicago Public Library Debuts Initiative Offering Ebooks to the City’s Visitors During Special Events; Library Journal, August 23, 2024

Matt Enis, Library Journal; Chicago Public Library Debuts Initiative Offering Ebooks to the City’s Visitors During Special Events

"“Access to knowledge and information is the foundation of a thriving, equitable, and democratic city,” Mayor Johnson said in an announcement. “Thanks to Chicago Public Library and our dedicated librarians, we’re making this powerful initiative possible, ensuring that everyone in Chicago has the opportunity to learn, grow, and connect through universal access to literature.”" 

A Good Way for ALA; American Libraries, July 24, 2024

 Cindy Hohl , American Libraries; A Good Way for ALA

"As the first Dakota president and Spectrum Scholar representing the 1% of Indigenous librarians, I will reaffirm that diversifying the field remains overdue. We need to focus on creating opportunities for our colleagues to be represented across every library type in this field. When leaders come together to support the entire community, that act of selfless service elevates collective goodwill among us. The same is true for work life. When we remember what our ancestors taught us and use those teachings to make informed decisions, we can avoid pitfalls along the path toward equitable service.

We also must have the goal of eliminating acts of censorship. On June 2, 1924, the Indian Citizenship Act was passed, granting us dual citizenship. Also known as the Snyder Act, it provided Native Americans with new identities in a step toward equality. While voting credentials were provided to some, several states decided to withhold the same rights from Native American women. Even as the remaining states finally provided voting privileges by 1975, barriers remain today in rural areas where polling locations are out of reach or tribally issued identification cards are not considered an acceptable form of identification by states.

Access to libraries can also be a challenge in these rural areas. We have the ability to accept tribal IDs for library access and create sustainable employment opportunities to ensure success without barriers. That way no one is left behind when acts of censorship are creating a division among us. If we work together in this way, everyone can see themselves written in stories, their voices can be heard, and no one is silenced.

Our core values help us see that what one holds sacred is a touchstone in advancing this work as we strive to serve everyone in ­#AGoodWay together."

WATCH: How Drones Are Saving Lives in Rural America; Government Technology, August 19, 2024

 Nikki Davidson , Government Technology; WATCH: How Drones Are Saving Lives in Rural America

"Until recently, deputies in rural Manitowoc County, Wis., faced a challenge: responding to calls with limited visibility and resources. Traditional policing methods often left them at a disadvantage in vast, wooded areas. 

In June 2022, the Manitowoc County Sheriff’s Office embarked on a mission to integrate unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) into their law enforcement operations to give them an eye in the sky. Two lieutenants, Travis Aleff and Kyle Stotzheim, were tasked with spearheading the initiative, working “non-stop” for half a year to establish a fully operational drone team with 13 FAA-certified pilots.

Initially there were a lot of questions about the program’s cost-effectiveness and whether the investment in drones would yield tangible benefits...

To understand the real-world impact of drones in law enforcement, we requested examples from the sheriff’s office, complete with video footage. They provided three compelling cases, each demonstrating a different facet of how UAVs can revolutionize police work and enhance public safety.

DRONES AS A LIFELINE: ENHANCING MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS RESPONSE

One example highlights the potential of drones to aid in mental health crisis response. The Manitowoc County Sheriff’s Office received a call concerning a suicidal, armed individual who intended to harm themselves in a densely wooded county park. Watch the video below to see how the UAV was used as a tool to defuse and safely resolve the situation."