With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility : A Qualitative Study on Ethics for UX-designers in AI

Abstract: In this study the subject of ethics is examined, more specifically how ethical consideration might change for UX-designers when working on artificial intelligence. With the introduction of new, powerful AI tools such as chatGPT and Midjourney, these tools are finding their way into the hands of users all around the world. This being the case, ethical consideration in UXdesign is of great importance, as it is this discipline which shapes products for the needs of the consumer. The aim of this study is to examine how ethical considerations in UX-design for artificial intelligence tools might differ from traditional UX-practise. It is an important field to examine, as little to no prior research has been conducted on the intersection of ethics, user experience design, and artificial intelligence. Initially, a literature review was conducted in order to situate this study in the current field of similar research. Thereafter theories on ethics are presented to facilitate the coming discussion. A qualitative methodological approach was chosen as suitable for the study. By conducting a small-N-study and semi-structured interviews with design practitioners, as well as an AI expert, data was gathered on ethics, UXdesign, and artificial intelligence. This data was then analysed through text analysis and the interpretative research paradigm in order to identify patterns and themes. Four main themes are identified and presented, as well as discussed. The findings of the study show how aspects that have traditionally been connected to the technical development of artificial intelligence are of great relevance to the discipline of UX-design as well. These aspects; responsibility, explainability, and transparency, must be taken into account by design practitioners in design work for artificial intelligence in order to transfer knowledge of the tool onto the user. The findings of this study contribute to the intersection of knowledge of ethics, user experience design, and artificial intelligence by showing how the concept of responsibility in artificial intelligence is of equal importance to design practitioners. Furthermore, it also show that the concepts of explainability and transparency, which have hitherto been exclusive to the realm of AI-development, are applicable in design work. Additionally, based on these findings a prototype framework for the development of ethical guidelines for design practitioners in artificial intelligence is proposed. As for future work in the field, it would be of value if future studies would interview design practitioners with more professional experience of design in artificial intelligence, as well as confirm the findings of this study through the use of other methodologies through method triangulation.