A Conversation with Dr. Cansu Canca on International Business Today

Artificial intelligence is revolutionizing how businesses operate—from automating decisions to redefining customer engagement. But with that transformation comes complex ethical trade-offs that no organization can afford to ignore.

In this episode of International Business Today podcast produced by the International Business & Strategy group at Northeastern University Dr. Cansu Canca, Director of the Responsible AI Practice at Northeastern University’s Institute for Experiential AI, joins host Paula Caligiuri to explore what it really takes to build AI systems that are not only powerful but principled.

“From the very beginning, ethics should shape how you scope the project, choose your data, and design your system.”— Cansu Canca

Dr. Canca shares practical strategies for leaders and developers alike—from identifying bias and assessing risk to embedding ethical decision-making throughout the AI development lifecycle. She illustrates how real-world impacts—such as unfair loan decisions or discriminatory hiring practices—often stem from overlooked issues in data, design, and deployment.

“Responsible AI risks are becoming business risks... If you're not paying attention, your customers will lose trust, and you’ll lose your competitive edge.”— Cansu Canca

Key Insights from the Episode

• Why responsible AI must be built into the entire innovation lifecycle, not bolted on later
• How to evaluate when an AI system is adding meaningful value versus introducing unnecessary risk
• The trade-offs between fairness, privacy, accuracy, and transparency—and how to navigate them
• The critical difference between an ethics board and true collaboration between ethics and development teams
• Why business risk, reputational trust, and long-term success are deeply tied to responsible AI practices

This episode is essential viewing for executives, product leaders, and anyone guiding AI strategy within their organization. It offers both a strategic framework and grounded, real-world examples to help you move from compliance checklists to meaningful governance.

Watch the Full Episode

If your organization is ready to take the next step toward building responsible AI, explore our Responsible AI Practice at ai.northeastern.edu/responsible-ai-practice.

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