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The Next Generation Will Be the Driving Force Behind AI Regulation
A Swiss educator conducted a workshop with students and AI leaders to develop the Rosenberg AI Charter. Their goals were to urge for prompt, ethical legislation around artificial intelligence. Here’s a glimpse into what they found.
3 Min Read
Olekcii Mach via Alamy Stock
The wide-scale introduction of artificial intelligence sent shockwaves through every industry, as it disrupted the way we live, work, and even learn. In the education sphere specifically, it’s caused traditional educators to experience a “Gutenberg printing press shock,” as much of their skills have essentially become obsolete overnight. AI’s quick rise has raised fear of risks such as plagiarism and lessened student engagement, causing many learning institutions to restrict or in some cases even ban the technology from classrooms.
While we acknowledge and understand the potential risks associated with AI, I believe there is a lot more opportunity for the good of humanity than harm -- if harnessed properly and responsibly, this groundbreaking technology has the potential to support and augment students’ learning exponentially -- much like the printed book, the calculator, or the computer has done for previous generations.
So, the question is not if we should harness AI, but how we should harness AI. It’s clear the technology needs guardrails. In fact, many groups from government officials and business leaders to celebrities like Tom Hanks have joined the debate on AI regulation. Yet, world leaders have been slow to act, and efforts have been restricted to national and regional spheres
Why the reluctance and the emphasis on local perspectives? Even during the peak of the Cold War, opposing factions aimed for international consensus, especially on ethical norms or ‘red lines’ related to nuclear weapon usage. Some theorize that this hesitancy toward AI regulation stems largely from their insufficient grasp of the technology and its ramifications.
Why wouldn't we engage the generation that seamlessly integrates AI into their daily routines? Undoubtedly, they not only have viewpoints on the matter but can also provide a more expansive and insightful perspective on the ethics of the technology. A proactive group of international students aged 13 to 18 from Institut auf dem Rosenberg decided to take the initiative and developed a 13-point charter to govern AI, calling for world leaders to promptly regulate AI development and usage through an international treaty and regulatory agency.
A selection of the students’ proposed guardrails as a seed for global accord include:
Control input and output. All organizations, whether private or state, engaged in designing, engineering, and/or distributing AI products, shall be held unequivocally accountable for the information generated by AI systems. These organizations must establish specialized departments amalgamating human oversight and automated technologies grounded in machine learning to guarantee the responsible utilization of AI. An external, impartial global agency shall meticulously oversee and ensure strict adherence to proper AI usage, conferring AI-Safe-Use approval badges exclusively upon organizations that diligently comply with AI standards.
Transparent tracing of sources. Complete transparency in acknowledging the entities responsible for AI processes is imperative. Therefore, all AI-processed information must be transparently traceable to its origins, specifically attributing it to the entities conducting the information processing using AI. Users shall enjoy unrestricted access to all original input data employed by AI systems. Violations of source tracing obligations will be met with resolute legal enforcement.
Regulation of deepfakes. Mandatory watermarks or detectable patterns are recommended for all deepfake or artificially created content. We advocate increased investment in deepfake detection technologies. Unethical deepfake actions, including defamation and identity theft, must be unequivocally prosecutable offenses. AI systems shall rigorously maintain accessible interaction histories, with AI software manufacturers being legally accountable for verifying the origin of disseminated information.
Prevention of monopolies and duopolies. In the pursuit of equitable AI development and access, signatory parties solemnly pledge to actively champion diversity and counteract monopolies, duopolies, or oligopolies within the AI creative sphere. This commitment aims to foster innovation, fairness, and global collaboration.
Support for cultural and academic endeavors. AI programs must be designed exclusively to support cultural and academic creators, refraining from autonomous generation of cultural and academic content.
The excerpts provided are just a glimpse into the thorough work of our students. The question about ethics in AI is one that has the potential to bring together a polarized world for the greater good of all mankind -- it is an opportunity that we should give the next generation.
For a detailed insight into the Rosenberg AI Charter and this significant project, please visit here.
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