PROJECT III
The Social Good Revolution: How Corporate Responsibility can Enable Technological Innovation and Beneficially Impact Society
Abstract: In this day and age, technology is affecting people in ways it never has before. Artificial intelligence is replacing human decision making in key areas, the sensational ways in which companies use technology incur short term gains while corrupting entire populations, and unmoderated sides of the internet decrease participant responsibility and hateful groups to reach others under the guise of anonymity. All these advances pose new and concerning ethical and moral questions we’ve never seen before. The decision to build technology with the benefit of society in mind may change from being the “right” thing to being the only way technologists, companies, and the people of the world can prevent self destruction. This social good revolution is on the horizon because companies like Uber and Lyft are becoming more competitive in the realm of total societal impact. Also, companies like Pinterest and LinkedIn are realizing where their algorithms fall short of serving the needs of their customers, while others like Google are hiring teams of ethicists and setting goals for themselves regarding their impact on the world. When technology companies and their engineers are aware of the unintended consequences of their new technology, they can build better products that make everyone better off and keep the company sustained in the long term. Mission-driven development is taking off because the future of the world is increasingly at stake. However, making an impact requires more than just intention. Argumentative theory explains that individuals must interact and compare ideas in order to dismantle their confirmation bias. People are starting to care more about working for companies that make ethical decisions. They can contribute by questioning corporate intentions, expressing their opinions, and feeling confident in the social impact of the products they build. Companies can also encourage this kind of culture among their ranks by aiming for diversity of thought while hiring and being open with their decision making. These efforts incentivize engineers to work for companies and make the technology they build better satisfy the mission.
Keywords: Technology, Corporate Philanthropy, Artificial Intelligence, Ethics of Technology, Mission Driven Development, Human Decision, Argumentative Theory, Confirmation Bias, Free Speech, Total Societal Impact, Corporate Social Responsibility, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Google, Slack Uber, Lyft, Algorithmic Bias, Diversity and Inclusion, Hiring Practices
