Implementing Responsible Artificial Intelligence: A Strategic Priority for Businesses Worldwide
The implementation of responsible artificial intelligence (AI) has become a strategic priority for companies around the globe. According to the latest Artificial Intelligence Index Report 2025, the development of ethical and secure AI relies on four essential dimensions:
- Privacy protection and data governance
- Transparency and explainability
- Security and safety
- Fairness
These four dimensions are at the heart of AI governance in businesses. The report, produced by the AI Index, examines how these dimensions are translated into concrete actions in the real world, particularly through medical platforms that use AI to recommend personalized treatments. For instance, protecting patient data involves obtaining their explicit consent, while explainability enables doctors to understand the reasoning behind an AI system's recommendations. These principles aim to strengthen trust and reduce risks associated with AI use.
Rising AI-Related Incidents
AI-related incidents are on the rise. In 2024, 233 ethically concerning cases were reported, representing a 56.4% increase from the previous year. These incidents include:
- Facial recognition errors in the UK
- Deepfakes of intimate images in the US
- Exploitation of deceased individuals' identities by chatbots
These cases highlight the ethical challenges and regulatory gaps in existing frameworks. The report notes that most incidents remain unreported, suggesting that the actual scope of the problems may be even more significant.
Limited Standardized Benchmarks for AI Evaluation
The report also notes that standardized benchmarks for evaluating AI security and responsibility are limited. While AI models are systematically tested on general skills (math, language, coding), few standardized tests exist for safety and ethics. Recent initiatives, such as the Hughes Hallucination Evaluation Model, measure the tendency of models to generate incorrect or invented information, a major issue for automatic language processing systems.
Progress in AI Governance
On the corporate side, the AI Index report, in partnership with McKinsey & Company, reveals that the integration of responsible AI is progressing but varies greatly depending on the size of the organizations. A survey of 759 leaders in over 30 countries found that:
- Information security is the department most often responsible for AI governance (21%)
- Data and analytics teams are the second most responsible (17%)
- 14% of companies have created dedicated roles for AI governance
Investments in responsible AI implementation are significant, particularly among large enterprises:
- Companies generating between $10 billion and $30 billion invest up to $25 million per year
- Companies exceeding $30 billion invest an average of $21 million per year
These trends confirm that responsible AI is no longer just a matter of compliance but a strategic lever to strengthen trust, limit risks, and prepare businesses for upcoming regulations. For managers and decision-makers, the priority is clear: adopt robust governance practices and invest proactively in AI security, transparency, and fairness.
