Providence St. Joseph Health has announced that it is the first health system in the U.S. to join the Rome Call for AI Ethics, an international endorsement of ethical artificial intelligence use.
In joining the call, Providence pledges to uphold six commitments in relation to AI ethics: transparency, inclusion, responsibility, impartiality, reliability and security and privacy. “The pledge will be expressed in applying discernment practices, integrating ethical guidelines, providing ethics consultations, establishing a dedicated subcommittee and continuing research,” said an April 10 statement from the Renton, Washington-based system.
Other signers of the Rome Call include corporations such as Microsoft and IBM and many international groups, governments and institutions. The pledge is being promoted by the RenAIssance Foundation, a nonprofit set up in 2021 by Pope Francis and focused on the effects of new technologies on humans.
“Wherever AI is in our organization, there should be a thumbprint of the Rome Call,” Nick Kockler, Providence vice president of system ethics services, said in Providence’s statement. “As a signatory, Providence is making a public declaration of our commitment to the Rome Call principles. I would encourage other health care organizations to demonstrate ethical use of AI by joining us in this effort to contribute to the common good of all.”
Providence also recently announced its participation in the Trustworthy & Responsible AI Network and that it is a founding member of the Coalition for Health AI.