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Artificial Intelligence Literacy

The ROBOT Test for evaluating AI Tools

It is important to exercise caution with the AI tools you use. The ROBOT test developed by Wheatley and Hervieux (2020), is designed to help you to think critically about an AI model and whether or not to go ahead and use it.

 

The ROBOT Test
Reliability

  • Is the information about the AI tool trustworthy?

  • If the information about the AI is from a source other than the AI creator, what expertise does the author have? Is the author biased in any way?

  • If the information about the AI tool is supplied by the AI creator, are they sharing enough details?

    • Is there some information hidden to protect trade secrets?

    • Is there bias in their information?
Objectivity

  • What is the reason for using an AI model?

  • Why is the information being shared about it?

    • Is it being shared to inform?

    • Is it being shared to persuade?

    • Is it being shared to get financial support?
Bias

  • What could cause bias in the AI technology?

  • Are there ethical concerns associated with it?

  • Are these issues acknowledged and by who?

    • By the source of information?

    • By the AI creators?

    • By the users?
Ownership

  • Who is the owner or developer of the AI technology?

  • Who is responsible for it?

    • Is it a private company?

    • Is it the government?

    • Is it a think tank or research group?

  • Who has access to the AI tool and who can use it?
Type

  • Which type of AI is it? (e.g. generative AI, robotics)

  • Is the technology in use (such as ChatGPT, Copilot) or still in the research phase (such as Quantum AI)?

  • What kind of information system does it use? (e.g. neural networks, transformers)

  • Does it need human intervention to operate?