Professional AI Program 

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Program:

Professional AI Program.

Intermediate Level

Lesson 5

Lesson Title

Ethical AI in Business, Governance & Risk

Target Audience:

Working professionals

Business owners & founders

Managers & team leads

Freelancers & consultants

Remote workers

Duration:

60–75 minutes

Lesson Objectives

By the end end of this lesson, learners will be able to:

Understand ethical AI beyond basic rules

Identify AI-related risks in business and governance

Apply AI responsibly in decision-making environments

Recognize accountability, transparency, and compliance needs

Reduce operational, legal, and reputational risks

Build trust while using AI systems

Ethical AI at the Professional Level

At the intermediate level, ethical AI is not theory — it is risk management.

Ethical AI means:

Using AI responsibly at scale

Preventing harm to people and institutions

Protecting data and privacy

Ensuring fairness and transparency

Keeping humans accountable

Unethical AI use becomes a business risk.

Ethical AI in Business Operations

Businesses use AI in:

Hiring & recruitment

Customer service

Credit scoring & pricing

Marketing & personalization

Performance evaluation

Ethical risks include:

Bias and discrimination

Unfair automated decisions

Lack of transparency

Customer mistrust

Ethical businesses design AI with people in mind.

AI Governance Explained (Simple)

AI governance refers to:

Rules

Policies

Oversight

Accountability

Governance ensures:

AI use aligns with laws and values

Decisions can be explained

Systems are monitored and audited

Humans remain responsible

Good governance prevents future crises.

AI Risk Categories Professionals Must Know

1️⃣ Data Risk

Data leaks

Unauthorized access

Privacy violations

2️⃣ Bias & Fairness Risk

Discriminatory outputs

Unbalanced training data

3️⃣ Decision Risk

Wrong recommendations

Over-automation

Loss of human control

4️⃣ Reputational Risk

Public backlash

Loss of trust

Brand damage

Ethical AI reduces these risks.

🔍 

 Transparency & Accountability

Professionals must be able to:

Explain when AI is used

Justify AI-supported decisions

Review and override AI outputs

Take responsibility for outcomes

AI cannot go to court — people do.

Ethical Decision Framework (Practical)

Before using AI, ask:

1️⃣ Is this data safe to use?

2️⃣ Could this harm someone?

3️⃣ Can I explain this decision clearly?

4️⃣ Is there human oversight?

5️⃣ Would I defend this publicly?

If the answer is no — pause.

Practical Scenario Activity

Scenario:

A company uses AI to screen job applicants.

Learners reflect:

What ethical risks exist?

How can bias be reduced?

Where must humans intervene?

What transparency is required?

 Write one governance rule you would enforce.

Why This Matters for Africa & Global Leadership

As AI adoption grows:

Regulation may lag

Trust becomes critical

Ethical leaders stand out

African professionals can:

Lead with values

Build trusted institutions

Avoid costly mistakes

Compete globally with integrity

Ethics is not slow — it is strategic.

Learner Notice

This lesson contains educational content only and does not request personal or sensitive information.

✅ Week 2 Level 2, completed

👉 Week 3 (Level 3) – Advanced Application & Strategy Level

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