Focus Group

INTRODUCTION:

Hello, my name is [NAME] and I am with the RAND Corporation. RAND is a non-partisan, non-profit research organization from Arlington, Virginia. We are conducting this focus group about ethical issues involving how the Department of Defense uses Artificial Intelligence. This study is sponsored by the Joint Artificial Intelligence Center of the United States Department of Defense. The discussion should take about 60 minutes of your time. 

We are audio taping this discussion so we can be sure we don’t miss your comments. The tapes will be used to generate notes from the interview. Once we’ve written up the notes, the tapes will be destroyed. Our write-up will include “quotes” from what different people say, but no one’s name will appear in the report we send to our client and we will not include any information that would let a reader know who you are.

Participation in the focus group discussion is voluntary. If you don’t want to answer a particular question or discuss a particular topic, you can decline to comment, and you can leave at any time.

We also ask that you respect each other’s privacy and not repeat what is said during our discussion. However, complete confidentiality cannot be guaranteed, so don’t feel you need to share information about yourself or others that is very private or sensitive. We will not reveal your name when using this information.

Questions for participants

1. Media Environment

First, we’d like to discuss how informed you are about world events and advances in science and technology.

• What have been the most interesting and impactful world events from the past year?

• What have been the most interesting and impactful technological and scientific advancements from the past year?

• What kinds of news sources are the most informative and the most trustworthy about these events and developments?

2. Ethics, Artificial Intelligence, and DoD

Next, we’d like to discuss AI projects with military applications.

• First of all, what are some military applications for Artificial Intelligence?

  • Which of those applications is the U.S. Defense Department actually interested in pursuing?

• Are any of those potential applications of AI troublesome or worrying? Why?

• Are any of those potential applications of AI exciting or intriguing? Why?

• What are some of the factors that would affect whether a software engineer would want to work on AI-enabled applications for the Defense Department?

• What has influenced your belief that the Defense Department will use AI in an acceptable or unacceptable way?

3. Trust in Government/DoD/Employer

Next, we’d like to discuss topics involving the government, American technology companies, and their interactions.

• Do you think the government is truthful about its activities and motivations?

  • What are the most common reasons it may conceal information or mislead the American public about its actions and motivations?

• Do you think the Defense Department is truthful about its activities and motivations?

  • What are the most common reasons it may conceal information or mislead the American public about its actions and motivations?

• Do you think CEOs of technology companies are transparent regarding their interactions with the U.S. and other national governments?

  • What might they attempt to conceal or mislead the general public about?

  • What might they attempt to conceal or mislead their employees about?

• Given existing domestic and global conditions, can the current or any future US governments be trusted to use technology developed for them in an ethical and responsible manner?

• What should the role of ethics in the workplace be?

• Should a company consider the effect of their actions on the public as a whole or should it primarily focus on its own interests?

• Who is responsible for ensuring that a company acts ethically?

4. International Threats

Next, we’d like to consider the United States and its place in the world

• What are the greatest military threats to the United States today?

  • How well is U.S. military currently prepared and equipped to combat these threats?

  • How will this change over the next ten to twenty years?

• How are the governments of other nations using AI to improve the capabilities of their own military or police? What kinds of issues do these developments raise?

• What are justifiable reasons to go to war? What factors influence whether a war is justified or not?

5. Familiarity with/ Attitude towards DoD (if time allows)

Next, we’d like to explore how familiar Americans are with the Defense Department

• Have you ever served in the U.S. military (or any other military)? Has anyone close to you served?

6. Ethics (if time allows)

Finally, we’d like to discuss ethical questions regarding AI

• What are the most pressing concerns about the future development of Artificial Intelligence?

• In what ways could AI applications be harmful ?

• In what ways could AI applications be beneficial?

Is there anything else about these topics you’d like to share with us?

Thank you for your time.