From Principles to Practice: Comparative Analysis of European and United States Ethical AI Frameworks for Assessment and Methodological Application

Abstract

The Z‐Inspection® Process is a form of applied research for the ethical assessment of AI systems. It is quickly establishing itself as a robust method to ethically assess AI in Europe. The process is predicated on the European Union's Ethics Guidelines for Trustworthy AI, outlining ethical principles intended to guide European AI development. In contrast, the United States has only recently released its holistic version of such guidelines, the Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights. The aim of this paper is to assess the suitability of the Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights as an ethical framework underpinning the use of the Z‐Inspection® Process in the United States. This paper provides preliminary findings of comparative analysis of European and United States ethical frameworks for responsible AI development. Findings outline primary ethical concepts that are shared between respective frameworks. Findings suggest the US Blueprint is suitable as an ethical framework for the Z‐Inspection® Process. There are notable omissions within the US framework which would require further development for Z‐Inspection® use. Discussion will consider opportunities for adapting Z‐Inspection® to the United States context, including contributions from the information professions and research.