November 6, 2024
By Joe Pan
In a groundbreaking panel discussion at the Game On 2024 conference, experts from diverse backgrounds converged to address the critical issue of ethical AI in gaming and entertainment, with a particular focus on protecting underage users. This marks the first time a global stage has been set to discuss the challenges and responsibilities of the industry in creating safe experiences for one of the most vulnerable communities – minors and children.
Featured speakers:
Mila Devenport, Founder of Kigumi Group: An AI ethicist and educator with a decade of experience in the non-profit and philanthropic sectors in Southeast Asia. Mila is a certified AI ethics assessor by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and has a background in philosophy and teaching. As a mother, she brings a unique perspective to the intersection of AI, ethics, and child safety.
William Bolduc, CEO of Ethical AI: A thought leader in ethical AI with a mission to make AI more responsible, transparent, and localized for individuals. William has a background in software engineering and has been at the forefront of developing ethical AI solutions.
Carrie Law, CEO & Director of WOW IMPACT GROUP: A digital transformation expert with extensive experience in marketing and business development across various industries, including gaming, arts, music, and entertainment.
Bruce Zhang, Founder of Z-ONE: A cybersecurity expert and entrepreneur with over 15 years of experience in information security, focusing on AI applications and blockchain technology.
The panel is moderated by Karena Belin, Co-Founder and CEO of WHub, Hong Kong’s largest startup platform, and Co-Founder of AngelHub, the city’s first SFC-licensed startup investment platform.
The panel discussion shed light on the urgent need for collaboration among game designers, parents, regulators, and other stakeholders to create a safer gaming ecosystem for underage users. As the industry moves forward, the experts stressed the importance of striking a balance between innovation and ethical constraints.
In their closing statements, the panelists offered diverse perspectives on the path forward:
William Bolduc, CEO of Ethical AI, emphasized the importance of establishing common global laws for AI deployment and training, referencing the laws of robotics: “I think it’s good to go back to the roots of the laws of robotics… These are like three simple laws, but we have to make sure that we have some common laws about all the AIs being deployed and trained so we can have a common ground.”
Ethical AI must be local and self-hosted to address privacy concerns, particularly for minors. Bolduc asserted, “The only solution for ethical AI is a local & self-hosted AI.”
Carrie Law, CEO & Director of WOW IMPACT GROUP, highlighted the need for global standards while acknowledging regional differences: “At the end of the day, different regulatory or maturity or changes of all its countries or companies… humankind of my feelings could be global, but in terms of the regulatory steps could be very different, especially in Asia we have 14 countries. So at the end of the day, you can cross-reference regional development… then we can have a conversation of building global standards that we are all willing to stand for.”
AI lacks inherent ethics, and its governance is controlled by humans. Law stated, “AI does not have ethics at all… Human is controlling everything behind us.”
Mila Devenport, founder of Kigumi Group, stressed the importance of focusing on fundamental skills: “As a parent, as a professional… The curriculum that my company develops is largely about equipping children not with more curriculum… We need to go back to the basics, and the basics are teaching kids about their own evolutionary traits, teaching them about communication, the use of language, empathy, collaboration, things like this.”
Proactive child safety measures are crucial for gaming companies. Devenport emphasized, “If you are a gaming company who doesn’t have child safety on its radar already/isn’t taking steps to mitigate these risks, be scared.”
AI companions in gaming can guide young users and product designers toward ethical decision-making. Devenport suggested, “There are ways to build this into an LLM… being a learning companion at the moment.”
Bruce Zhang, Founder of Z-ONE, consistently emphasized the importance of cybersecurity throughout the discussion.
The panel concluded with a sense of urgency and responsibility, calling for a collective effort to create a safer, more ethical digital ecosystem for children and young users in the rapidly evolving world of gaming and AI. The experts left the audience with a clear message: the intersection of AI, ethics, and child safety in gaming is not just a technological challenge, but a societal imperative that requires ongoing dialogue, collaboration, and innovative solutions.
Cybersecurity is critical for safeguarding users, especially in gaming. Zhang noted, “Cybersecurity either kills you, or makes you stronger.”
About the Author
Joe Pan is an editor at Blockwind News and an early adopter of blockchain technology. He has covered major crypto conferences globally since 2019 and frequently moderates Web3 events across Asia. Joe is part of the founding team of NFTMetta and Blockwind News.
