Artificial Intelligence as a Public Good: Ensuring Democratic Control of AI in the Information Space
AI as a Public Good: Ensuring Democratic Control of AI in the Information Space
The rapid development and advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), generative artificial intelligence and even artificial general intelligence (AGI) is transforming the global information and communication space at a pace nearly unseen among recent technological innovations.
Generative AI tools enable anyone to become an easy creator of content. Yet, AI can invent sources, create misinformation and deep fakes, amplifying the dangers of disinformation and information chaos, which puts increasing strain on our democratic institutions.
AI systems are taking crucial decisions in the information space, as the sheer amount of information available and content created exceeds human capacities to consume, sort, moderate and verify. Currently, mainly private enterprises are deciding the rules of the game, including which safety and ethical guardrails they choose to implement.
Our democratic institutions must lead the development and implementation of democratic principles and rules to govern the development, deployment and use of all aspects of AI in the information space. Without guidance – including regulatory obligations – from our democratic institutions, developers and deployers of AI systems risk undermining the very foundations of our democracies, rooted in a credible and legitimate information ecosystem.
AI is a public good and we must ensure democratic control over AI in the information and communication space.
They worked on this report
Laura Schertel Mendes, Co-Chair
Jonathan Stray, Co-Chair
Rachel Adams
Linda Bonyo
Marta Cantero Gamito
Alistair Knott
Syed Nazakat
Alice Oh
Alejandro Pisanty
Gabriela Ramos
Achim Rettinger
Edward Santow
Suzanne Vergnolle
Claes de Vreese
Scope of the report
Development and deployment of AI systems
Recommendations for putting in place guardrails in the design, development and deployment of AI systems to reduce their risks to the information space, respect data privacy and intellectual property, and promote transparency, diversity and representativeness of AI systems.
Accountability regimes
Recommendations for putting in place accountability and liability regimes for the developers, deployers, users, and subjects of AI systems with regards to the outputs generated and decisions taken by AI and redress mechanisms.
Ethical Incentives
Recommendations to put in place incentive schemes encouraging the ethical development, deployment and use of AI. This also includes recommendations on AI literacy as a critical tool.
Governance of AI
Recommendations for the governance and democratic oversight of AI systems at both national and international level. This also includes recommendations to strenghten the watch dog role of civil society, researchers and other stakeholders.
