Ethical AI and business practices
Core premise
- Skills give you power, but perspective keeps you human
- Technical mastery means nothing if your systems harm, exclude, or ignore the bigger picture
- Being responsible isn't just ethical - it's practical for long-term success
- The simple principle: Don't be a dick
AI responsibility framework
Understanding AI limitations:
- Recognise that AI models have inherent biases
- Be transparent when you use AI generated content or solutions
- Obtain proper consent and disclosure when using AI with others' data
- Conduct social impact assessments for AI applications
- Design for accessibility from the beginning
- Apply the human comparison test to check AI decisions
- Build with privacy first principles
Privacy first development
Data protection strategies:
- Collect only the data you absolutely need
- Be clear about purpose and use of collected data
- Periodically purge unnecessary data
- Ship products with the most privacy-protective settings by default
- Use pseudonyms and anonymization where possible
- Secure data in transit and at rest
- Store keys and access controls securely
- Use plain language in privacy policies
- Stay current with legal requirements in your jurisdiction
Ethical community building
Responsible social growth:
- Focus on systems and challenges rather than demonizing individuals
- Ensure your "shared enemy" doesn't foster hate or division
- Acknowledge small wins to maintain positive momentum
- Share impact stories to reinforce positive purpose
- Target systemic issues rather than specific companies or people
- Avoid creating toxic "us vs. them" narratives
Business integrity practices
Operating with transparency:
- Don't use stealth mode for legal, tax, or contract matters
- Always seek proper advice and consent for important matters
- Stay ethical - only pursue projects that align with your values
- Declare all income properly - tax evasion creates long-term problems
- Balance priorities to maintain trust in all relationships
- Be wary of subscription traps that seem cheap but add up quickly
- Consider getting revenue before loading up on costs
Maintaining work life balance
Sustainable growth:
- Don't let projects consume your life or damage your health
- Stay engaged with family, school, and community activities
- Respect boundaries set by parents, teachers, or other authorities
- Schedule focused time for projects without sacrificing other responsibilities
- Even half an hour daily adds up to significant progress over time
- Learn from failure instead of giving up
- Balance ambition with patience
Teaching and sharing responsibly
Effective knowledge transfer:
- Use plain language and analogies when teaching others
- Focus on 2-3 core steps rather than overwhelming with content
- Incorporate mini-exercises and live Q&A in teaching sessions
- Schedule follow-up check-ins to reinforce learning
- Create cheat sheets or quick-start guides for complex topics
- Update materials based on common questions and troubleshooting
- Share refined materials with the wider community
Key principles to remember
Guiding ideas:
- Power without responsibility leads to problems - always consider impact
- Success at the expense of ethics is ultimately self-defeating
- Technology should serve human needs, not exploit human weaknesses
- A sustainable business respects privacy, security, and user agency
- If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is
- Don't isolate yourself in pursuit of technical skills
- The goal is to be formidable and ethical, not just technically capable