Speaker Series Christopher Cowton

Value of the Information & Strength of the Argument

The talk provides valuable insights into the practical challenges of designing ethics training for a large professional body. Cowton’s argumentation is grounded in his extensive experience and his role in developing the ICAEW course. He effectively uses the case study approach to illustrate the complexities of addressing a diverse audience and integrating AI ethics into existing professional ethics frameworks. However, the talk is more descriptive than analytical, and the argumentation relies heavily on anecdotal evidence and personal experience rather than systematic research or data. The value lies in the practical lessons and the emphasis on the importance of professional ethics in the context of AI.

Scientific Rigor, Source Quality, Title Accuracy

The talk demonstrates a high level of rigor in terms of the speaker’s expertise and the institutional backing of the ICAEW. Cowton references several sources, including the ICAEW code of ethics, the International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants (IESBA) code, and academic work such as Kahneman’s ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ and James Rest’s model. However, these are mentioned in passing without formal citations. The title is generic and does not fully convey the specific focus on AI ethics training for accountants, but it is appropriate for a speaker series. The content is consistent with the title’s promise of a talk on AI ethics, albeit from a professional training perspective.

The title is generic but accurately reflects the speaker series format; the content focuses on AI ethics training for accountants, which is a specific application.

7/10

The speaker is an emeritus professor with extensive experience in business ethics and accounting, and the talk is based on his direct involvement in developing an ethics course for a major professional body. However, the content is largely anecdotal and reflective, with limited formal citations or empirical evidence.

Markers derived by PSI from the transcript: the creator did not define chapters.

• 02:00Introduction: Cowton acknowledges the blurb and sets expectations for the talk as a case study.
• 05:00Context: Cowton explains the ICAEW's decision to develop an ethics course for its members, including the role of scandals and regulatory pressure.
• 10:00Challenges: Cowton discusses his initial lack of up-to-date AI knowledge and the diversity of the accountant audience.
• 15:00Module overview: Cowton describes the foundational modules on professionalism and ethical decision-making, including the five fundamental principles.
• 20:00AI module specifics: Cowton details the content of the AI ethics module, including the use of case studies and reflective exercises.
• 30:00Reflections: Cowton shares feedback from the course and offers suggestions for promoting ethical AI in professional fields.

• IEAI - Institute for Ethics in Artificial Intelligence — Hosting institution for the talk.
• IEAI Events — Event page for the Speaker Series.
• IEAI Newsletter — Newsletter subscription for updates.

• ICAEW Code of Ethics — The code of ethics for accountants, which the module is based on.
• IESBA Code of Ethics — International code of ethics for professional accountants, referenced in the talk.