Experience is a useful contribution
Ethical AI Macedonia welcomes people who can contribute experience, expertise, questions or criticism about the use of AI. Some will have detailed technical knowledge; others will understand the work into which the technology is being introduced. Both are valuable. A business owner describing a difficult process, an employee explaining how a tool changed their responsibilities or a professional identifying a recurring error can help reveal issues that would otherwise remain abstract.
We want participation to be accessible to people who do not describe themselves as AI specialists. The effects of adoption are experienced throughout organizations, including by colleagues who review work, maintain records, train staff or respond to clients. Their observations can help us understand whether a proposed safeguard works and whether an apparent efficiency gain creates difficulties elsewhere in the process.
Connecting expertise that needs to meet
Several kinds of expertise are particularly important to our work. Technical practitioners can explain what systems can realistically do and where their limitations lie. Businesses can provide the context needed to understand commercial and organizational decisions. Academic researchers can help develop questions, examine assumptions and evaluate findings. Civil society can contribute perspectives on the people affected and on concerns that may receive less attention within an individual organization.
We also want to connect language specialists with AI practitioners, and people experienced in digitalization with those introducing AI into business processes. Language quality and the availability of reliable information affect how systems perform locally. People who have worked on public administration digitalization or business transformation may understand why particular information is missing, fragmented or difficult to use. Bringing these perspectives together can make a discussion more precise and help identify practical avenues for improvement.
Ways to participate
Contributions can take several forms. Readers can comment on the principles, point out omissions or explain where a recommendation is unclear or difficult to apply. Businesses can share a use case, participate in research or discuss a challenge they would like examined. Researchers and practitioners can help develop questions, review material or contribute to a focused working group. Speakers can bring experience into discussions and help participants understand a subject from another perspective.
We envisage an informal network, alongside working groups formed around particular activities. Participation can therefore reflect a person’s expertise, interests and available time. Vladimir Boshnjakovski and Angela Angjelovska will coordinate the initiative and help identify suitable opportunities for contribution. The immediate purpose is to exchange knowledge and develop useful work together, while building the competence needed for a wider contribution over time.
Why criticism matters
We want participants to question our assumptions as well as support the initiative. The principles draw on established international guidance, but their application in local businesses needs continued examination. A recommendation may be too general, overlook an industry-specific difficulty or assume resources that smaller organizations do not possess. Identifying those weaknesses is a contribution to the work.
We are particularly interested in criticism grounded in experience: what happened, why a proposed approach was difficult and what might work better. Those contributions can improve the principles, shape future research and identify subjects for discussion. By helping us understand these issues, participants can contribute to our central purpose: greater AI adoption supported by a clearer understanding of responsibility.