The Global FAIR Space Blog

Monarch butterflies undertake one of the longest insect migrations in the world. Each year, they travel up to 3,000 miles from North America to central Mexico. Despite being so small and delicate, they persevere through storms, predators, and changing landscapes—a testament to their resilience and adaptability. Last month, through the local Metroparks, I was fortunate to take part in documenting, tagging, and releasing monarchs from the Midwest of the US in hopes that they make their migration. Watching the butterflies hatch, their wings slowly dry out and then fly was an incredible experience and it got me thinking about how these small, seemingly such delicate creatures have such resilience to persist beyond all odds.

That same week, I also found myself at a multicultural event at the Cleveland Cultural Gardens at the Finnish booth. You may have noticed this is where the picture I took at the end of Post #7 came from.  While at the museum in Cleveland, a very kind lady who I had been in conversation with handed me a stone. On it was written “SISU”. I have carried this stone with me everywhere and it is with me in Finland now, where I am happily situated for a few months as a visiting researcher in AI Governance, within the Digital Economy and Society Research Group – Turku School of Economics, Turun yliopisto / the University of Turku.

Sisu is one of those untranslatable words that could be described as a character attribute. The closest term might be the American concept of “grit”, a different but complimentary concept. Psychologist Angela Duckworth defines “grit” as a combination of passion and perseverance for a singularly important goal.  Grit is about having what some researchers call an ”ultimate concern” –a goal you care about so much that it organizes and gives meaning to almost everything you do. And grit is holding steadfast to that goal. Even when you fall down. Even when you screw up. Even when progress toward that goal is halting or slow.

Emilia Lahti, a researcher of sisu from Aalto University in Helsinki describes sisu as “a special thing that is reserved for especially challenging moments. When we feel that we came to the end point of our preconceived capacities. You could say that sisu is energy, determination in the face of adversities that are more demanding than usual.”

From what I gather, sisu is a “way of being” and “way of life” and it conveys an idea that goes beyond perseverance and captures a deep, almost unshakable determination to face challenges head-on, no matter the obstacles. Why am I talking about sisu in regards to AI governance? Because you may have heard the term “resilience” thrown around in regards to AI governance and I wanted to begin to conceptualize this in a way that was illustrative and relatable and I intend to get more into this in a future post.

But first, what is AI governance?

Here we can turn to the researchers within the team that I have the privilege of working with (particularly Matti & Matti) here at the University of Turku – Matti Mäntymäki, Matti Minkkinen, Teemu Birkstedt & Mika Viljanen, who came up with this definition:

“AI governance is a system of rules, practices, processes, and technological tools that are employed to ensure an organisation’s use of AI technologies aligns with the organisation’s strategies, objectives, and values; fulfils legal requirements; and meets principles of ethical AI followed by the organisation.”

When we talk about AI governance, it might sound confusing and technical, but we can think of it as making sure that AI is used in a way that gels with an organization’s goals while also being fair, transparent and responsible. In order to do this, we have to create rules, set up processes, and use tools that help monitor AI systems throughout their development and deployment.

Here are just 5 of many possible real-world cases for you to ponder:

📚In Education / University Admissions: You are applying to a university where an AI tool evaluates your initial application based on grades, activities, and recommendations. AI governance would ensure that this system assesses all candidates fairly, without bias, and aligns with the university’s values. If your application is rejected, the governance framework would also guarantee transparency by allowing mechanisms for clear explanation of how the decision was made and possibly a way to appeal through a human being in order to ensure fairness and build trust in the admissions process.

🏥Healthcare / Medical Diagnosis: You are seeing your doctor and an AI tool is helping to diagnose your condition by analyzing your symptoms and test results. AI governance would make sure that this technology follows medical standards, avoids biases – sexual identity, ethnic bias, socioeconomic status, age, and ableism – and makes decisions based solely on your health data. So, if the AI tool suggests a treatment plan, the system is required to provide transparency, which means your doctor (a human being) would be obligated to explain the reasoning behind its recommendation so you can make informed choices alongside your health care professionals team.

💸Banking / )Loan Approval): When you are thinking of applying for a loan, you may often apply online where an AI system reviews your financial history and credit score. AI governance could guarantee that the system uses fair criteria, without bias based on ethnicity or socioeconomic background. And, if your loan is denied, the framework could ensure that you receive an explanation of the decision and this is reviewed by a human being, so you understand exactly how and why the outcome was reached.

💼Employment / Hiring Process): You are applying for a job and going through automated interviews and tests which happen to be managed by an AI system. AI governance make sure that the system evaluates applicants equitably and avoid discrimination based on gender, age, or ethnicity. Also, if you don’t get the job, the framework should provide transparency by allowing you to understand how your application was assessed and a human being should make sure the process remains fair.

🛒Retail / Personalized Pricing: So many of us shop online, and increasingly there is an AI system that sets product prices based on our browsing history and preferences (dynamic pricing). AI governance would ensure that these personalized prices are fair and not discriminatory, and avoiding bias in practices that might exploit specific groups. A governance framework could also require transparency, so if you question a price, the human beings behind the retail company must provide a clear explanation of how the price was determined.

Let’s look at AI governance through another lens…

Think of a beautiful garden, much like the one at the Miller Nature Preserve and Conservatory which I happened to visit back in September. My friend and I met an incredibly dedicated botanist whose job it was to tend to each and every plant. He explained to us very detailed which plants needed which exact, specific conditions they needed to thrive. For plant care, as many of you will attest to, this can involve adjusting soil conditions, managing light exposure, and even grafting plants to create stronger, more resilient species. Even when the environment changes (for the plants outside) or other new challenges arise, this guy would clearly stay committed to nurturing the garden. Because, for this place, the goal isn’t just to have a beautiful garden but a sustainable ecosystem that benefits everyone who visits.

In the same way that a botanist adapts techniques to meet the needs of each unique plant, organizations ideally should continuously adapt their AI governance strategies and ensure that they align with ethical standards and societal values. Take grafting, where two plants are joined to create a more robust and adaptable organism, organizations must sometimes merge new policies, frameworks, or technologies to enhance their systems’ resilience. Each adjustment or fine-tuning, whether changing light for a plant or refining an AI model, is done with the goal of nurturing growth and maintaining a balanced, thriving environment. It is this kind of ongoing, meticulous care that creates a resilient, flourishing system—whether in a conservatory or within the technological landscape – so they grow ethically and sustainably.

I hope this conversation has been useful, cut through a bit of the noise in current discourse, and has brought you some clarity over the global discussion and work around AI governance. Just as monarch butterflies take their impressive, long and arduous journey, and the botanist at the Miller Nature Preserve meticulously tends to his garden, AI governance requires an unshakeable commitment to stewardship, adaptation, and resilience. For me, the Finnish concept of sisu—that unshakable determination and drive beyond all odds—reminds us that even in the face of challenges, we must stay true to ethical principles and work steadily toward a fair and transparent technological landscape.

In the end, we must remember that AI governance is not a one-time task but an ongoing process. We have to continuously monitor, refine, and adjust our systems and strategies to ensure that they align with our values and serve everyone equitably. Whether grafting new policies to enhance resilience or adapting frameworks to address unforeseen challenges, the true essence of AI governance is that we care enough about the world and everyone in it. The driving force in building any form of AI governance lies in our commitment to international cooperation and transdisciplinary efforts. By working together across borders and fields, we can ensure that these technological ecosystems flourish ethically, sustainably, and for the benefit of all of us.

🦋

* I encourage everyone to take part The Monarch Watch Tagging Program, if you are in the right region at the right time of the year, areas of North America east of the Rocky Mountains. To find more about tagging kits, you may visit the Monarch Watch Tagging Program here – https://monarchwatch.org/tagging/

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*All images in this post have either been: 1. generated by Natasha J. Stillman and ChatGPT-4o (DALLE-3); 2. pictures taken by Natasha J. Stillman; or 3. conceived by Natasha J. Stillman using CANVA.