Please summarize the main points of the text about Axon's independent AI ethics board and the challenges of balancing business objectives with responsible digital practices.

In 2018, Rick Smith, founder and CEO of Axon, the Scottsdale, Arizona-based manufacturer of Taser weapons and body cameras, became concerned that advances in technology were creating new and challenging ethical issues. So, he set up an independent AI ethics board made up of ethicists, AI experts, public policy specialists, and representatives of law enforcement to provide recommendations to Axon’s management. In 2019, the board recommended against adding facial recognition technology to the company’s line of body cameras, and in 2020, it provided guidelines regarding the use of automated license plate recognition technology. Axon’s management followed both recommendations.

In 2022, the board recommended against a management proposal to produce a drone-mounted Taser designed to address mass shootings. After initially accepting the board’s recommendation, the company changed its mind and, in June 2022, in the wake of the Uvalde school shootings, announced it was launching the taser drone program anyway. The board’s response was dramatic: Nine of the 13 members resigned, and they released a letter that outlined their concerns. In response, the company announced a freeze on the project.

As societal expectations grow for the responsible use of digital technologies, firms that promote better practices will have a distinct advantage. According to a 2022 study, 58% of consumers, 60% of employees, and 64% of investors make key decisions based on their beliefs and values. Strengthening your organization’s digital responsibility can drive value creation, and brands regarded as more responsible will enjoy higher levels of stakeholder trust and loyalty. These businesses will sell more products and services, find it easier to recruit staff, and enjoy fruitful relationships with shareholders.

However, many organizations struggle to balance the legitimate but competing stakeholder interests. Key tensions arise between business objectives and responsible digital practices. For example, data localization requirements often contradict with the efficiency ambitions of globally distributed value chains. Ethical and responsible checks and balances that need to be introduced during AI/algorithm development tend to slow down development speed, which can be a problem when time-to-market is of utmost importance. Better data and analytics may enhance service personalization, but at the cost of customer privacy. Risks related to transparency and discrimination issues may dissuade organizations from using algorithms that could help drive cost reductions.

The text talks about Axon's AI ethics board, which was established by the CEO to address ethical concerns arising from rapidly developing technology. The board gave suggestions regarding facial recognition and automatic license plate recognition technology, which were implemented by Axon's management. However, when the board refused to produce a drone-mounted Taser after a school shooting, Axon accepted their suggestion but later reversed their stance, causing nine out of thirteen members to resign. The article focuses on the challenge of balancing business objectives with responsible digital practices and emphasizes the role of being responsible digitally for creating stakeholder trust and loyalty.