Ikea stores owner Ingka Group makes commitment to the ethical and responsible use of AI

Ingka Group, the largest Ikea retailer operating in 31 countries, has introduced a Digital Ethics and Al Stance.  

Central to this is the establishment of an AI Task Force, which is made up of experts from various backgrounds, including ethics, people and culture, and technology.

The aim is to ensure that every AI initiative aligns with ethical guidelines and along with the Responsible Ethics team, who put forward the organisation’s first Digital Ethics Policy in 2022, focuses on transparency, privacy and fairness principles.  

Key commitments include: 

• Be clear and open about how AI interacts with people, empowering them to make informed decisions.

• Always assess the impact of AI and new technologies on jobs and competence needs and enable lifelong learning and development for everyone. Where needed, upskill and reskill co-workers, and strengthen long-term employability inside and outside of Ingka Group;  

• Have a company wide AI and data education programme to put co-workers at the centre of the development and use of responsible AI; 

• Explore sustainable AI practices such as energy efficient AI model training and responsible data operations.

• Building a governance structure and processes for risk-based, transparent, and accountable decision making across the AI lifecycle.  

Co- Chief Digital Officers (CDO), Parag Parekh and Wim Blaauw, state: “Our goal is not just to innovate; it’s to innovate with integrity, empathy, and a deep sense of responsibility, in a truly human centric approach”.

Additionally, Ingka Group has started an AI literacy programme across the organisation that looks to train over 3,000 co-workers in 2024, and encourages others to join the movement.

Ingka Group says it is also working closely with the OECD and other bodies such as WEF to “redefine industry standards, setting an example of how being good is ultimately good for business”.