AI, analytics, and ICT in general, create opportunities and unintended or negative consequences for individuals and society. These opportunities and consequences have not been evenly distributed.

Despite the many personal, economic, and societal benefits offered by AI and analytics, its use raises a variety of ethical concerns. Ethics permeates the entire analytics process, from what data to use, to how to represent the extracted knowledge and exploit the insights to create economic and social value. Ethical concerns (i.e. illegitimate surveillance, invasion of privacy, unemployment, malicious use etc.) are frequently used to portray AI and analytics as ‘a danger to humanity’. These concerns warrant the attention of the academic community who are in a privileged position within society to raise awareness about the responsible design, implementation and use of AI, analytics, and ICT.

At the same time, AI and analytics has opened new domains of exclusion and privilege for some, leaving some individuals and communities excluded from the digitised society. For example, digital exclusion is part of the overall challenge of exclusion, a growing phenomenon which carries with it a series of deteriorations in life paths (i.e. poor lifelong earnings and an increased risk of marginalisation). There are many who are currently excluded for reasons of low income and education, location, culture, trust and confidence levels or various disabilities (European Commission).

Success in the increasingly digitised society requires a comprehensive approach to fostering an ethical and inclusive society. The 20th IFIP Conference on e-Business, e-Services, and e-Society aims to bring together contributions from a variety of perspectives, disciplines and communities for the advancement of knowledge regarding Responsible AI and Analytics for an Ethical and Inclusive Digitised Society.

To this end, we invite scholars, practitioners and research students to submit and present their papers and findings to the 20th IFIP Conference on e-Business, e-Services, and e-Society to be held in September 2021 at NUI Galway, Galway, Ireland. Theoretical and empirical papers employing quantitative, qualitative, and/or critical methods are welcomed.