Businesses increasingly rely on algorithms that are data-trained sets of decision rules (i.e., the output of the processes often called “machine learning”) and implement decisions with little or no human intermediation. In this article, we provide a philosophical foundation for the claim that algorithmic decision-making gives rise to a “right to explanation.” It is often said that, in the digital era, informed consent is dead. This negative view originates from a rigid understanding that presumes informed consent is a static and complete transaction. Such a view is insufficient, especially when data are used in a secondary, noncontextual, and unpredictable manner—which is the inescapable nature of advanced artificial intelligence systems. We submit that an alternative view of informed consent—as an assurance of trust for incomplete transactions—allows for an understanding of why the rationale of informed consent already entails a right to ex post explanation.

企业越来越依赖算法，这些算法是经过数据训练的决策规则集（即，通常称为“机器学习”的流程的输出），并在很少或没有人工中介的情况下实施决策。在本文中，我们为算法决策产生“解释权”的主张提供了哲学基础。人们常说，在数字时代，知情同意已死。这种负面观点源于一种僵化的理解，即假定知情同意是一项静态且完整的交易。这种观点是不够的，尤其是当数据以次要、非上下文和不可预测的方式使用时——这是先进人工智能系统不可避免的本质。