Course Description
AI is a transformative technology which has impacted our lives and will continue to influence our personal and professional lives in significant ways into the future.  This technology introduces and magnifies certain ethical questions which need to be considered and addressed. This course will include a non-technical introduction to the three areas of AI most relevant to the professional accountant: machine learning, big data and blockchain. It will also introduce applied ethics as it relates to AI and an in-depth discussion of three primary ethical concerns in the application of AI in business. First, is the issue of power. Ethical notions of accountability, transparency and manipulation may be altered using AI. Second, is the issue of privacy. Privacy has long been considered in the areas of ethics and law, but AI magnifies historical concerns and introduces new ones. Third, is prejudice. We will discuss “bias in AI”, separating fact from fiction and misinformation.  Finally, we will also consider what impact AI may have on the profession of accountancy in the future. This class will benefit anyone seeking an introduction to AI and with an interest in the ethical issues surrounding it. 

Applicable for
This course is applicable for all CPAs and business professionals.

Learning Objectives

• describe “artificial intelligence”, “machine learning” and “big data”, and their impact on the areas of sales & marketing, human resources and accounting
• describe “applied ethics” and the main principles relevant to the application of AI in business
• describe the ethical concerns of power, privacy and prejudice in the application of AI in sales & marketing, human resources, and accounting
• reflect on how ethical risks regarding power, privacy and prejudice may be managed in the application of AI in sales & marketing, human resources, and accounting
• consider what impact AI may have on the future of the profession

Content

•  AI in business
  • artificial intelligence
  • machine learning
  • big data
  • sales & marketing
  • human resources
  • accounting
• AI and the ethics of power
  • ethics of “accountability”
  • ethics of “transparency”
  • ethics of “manipulation”
• AI and the ethics of privacy
  • privacy law (e.g. historical evolution, GDPR, PIPEDA)
  • privacy ethics
• AI and the ethics of prejudice
  • tacit knowledge
  • cognitive heuristics
  • unconscious bias
  • algorithmic bias
• AI and the profession
  • how will the profession of accountancy be changed by AI?

What to Expect

•  Two emails will be sent from CPA Manitoba following your registration: one to confirm your order and one including information on how to access the course through your Learning Hub.
• Once sent, these emails can also be found in the Communication tab of your CPA Manitoba Member Portal.
• Course materials, links and credentials can be found in your Learning Hub no less than two business days prior to the seminar.
• This is a Live Virtual seminar where class size has been limited to allow for an interactive learning environment.
• This seminar will not be recorded.
• Live webinars have varying levels of expected interaction, with many requiring webcam and microphone capabilities. 
  
  If you have concerns about the interaction required for this course or any other questions about this course, please email [email protected].  
  
  CPA Manitoba PD Terms and Conditions: https://cpamb.ca/pd/pd/Terms-and-Conditions.aspx
  For questions regarding this course, including registration and access, email [email protected].