In the ever-evolving landscape of artificial intelligence (AI), IBM takes a significant stride toward responsible AI development with the launch of Watsonx.governance, now available for businesses. As the power of generative AI unfolds, so do the challenges and risks associated with it. IBM acknowledges the need for trust, transparency, and responsible governance to unlock the true potential of AI in enhancing productivity and economic value.

The Complexities and Risks of Generative AI

Generative AI, with its ability to create content and make decisions, introduces new complexities not witnessed with predictive machine learning. From the origin of training data to the potential reinforcement of bias and the lack of explainable outputs, businesses face unique challenges in harnessing the full capabilities of generative AI. IBM recognizes the importance of establishing guardrails to manage these risks, promoting transparency, and staying ahead of potential AI-focused regulations.

IBM’s Leadership in AI Governance

IBM’s commitment to AI governance is not new, with its machine learning governance capabilities recently recognized as a leader in the IDC MarketScape: Worldwide AI Governance Platforms 2023 Vendor Assessment. To further enhance trust and innovation, IBM collaborates with Meta and over 50 founding members to establish the AI Alliance—a global initiative promoting the safe and responsible use of AI.

Introducing Watsonx.governance

Watsonx.governance is positioned as a comprehensive solution for businesses navigating the deployment and management of both Large Language Models (LLMs) and machine learning (ML) models. As part of the Watsonx AI and data platform, Watsonx.governance aims to accelerate responsible, transparent, and explainable generative AI and ML workflows. The platform focuses on three key aspects:

1. Compliance: Address internal policies and industry standards and prepare for upcoming AI regulations with a comprehensive “nutrition label” for AI.
2. Risk Management: Proactively detect and mitigate risks, monitoring for fairness, bias, drift, and new LLM metrics.
3. Lifecycle Governance: Effectively manage, monitor, and govern AI models throughout their lifecycle, ensuring adherence to evolving standards.

Capabilities for LLMs in Watsonx.governance

Watsonx.governance for Large Language Models (LLMs) introduces three essential capabilities:

1. Address Compliance with Tracking and Transparency:
   • Automated factsheets serve as a “nutritional label” for models, documenting model facts and providing transparency throughout the lifecycle.
   • Facilitates audits, regulatory inquiries, and key performance metric sharing with stakeholders.
2. Manage Risk with Model Evaluation and Documentation:
   • Proactively detects and mitigates risks by automating risk management, and avoiding human errors and delays in model deployment.
   • Evaluation metrics are available for various use cases, ensuring accurate and ethical AI performance.
3. Monitor Models with Lifecycle Management:
   • Continuous monitoring of AI performance metrics to detect issues related to drift, quality, and bias.
   • Preset thresholds for monitoring inputs and outputs, alerting for toxic language, hate speech, and profanity.

Watsonx.governance: Bridging LLMs and ML Models

Watsonx.governance serves as a unified platform governing both Large Language Models (LLMs) and machine learning (ML) models. While LLMs often dominate discussions, ML models in areas like customer service, fraud detection, and healthcare are equally essential. The platform ensures comprehensive monitoring for fairness, drift, and quality and provides automation tools for “de-biasing” and what-if analysis.

Get Started with Responsible AI Today

In the era of AI-driven business, Watsonx.governance empowers organizations to direct, manage, and monitor AI activities rigorously. The platform offers enterprise-level oversight into the creation and deployment of both ML and generative AI models. Businesses can explore Watsonx.governance today, taking a crucial step toward responsible and trustworthy AI development.

Check out the official announcement from IBM here.