In a significant move towards shaping the future of artificial intelligence, hundreds of experts, former officials, and public figures have signed the Pro-Human Declaration. This new guiding document provides explicit guidelines around a framework for responsible AI development. It was completed just in time for last week’s episode of the Pentagon’s tech spats with company Anthropic. Yet it’s a win that serves as a reminder of the need for continued human oversight even as technology advances at a breakneck pace.
The Pro-Human Declaration emerged from a bipartisan coalition of thinkers who recognize the urgent need for ethical guidelines in AI. The declaration stresses five key pillars: keeping humans in charge, avoiding the concentration of power, protecting the human experience, preserving individual liberty, and holding AI companies legally accountable for their actions.
The urgency of the declaration’s release could not have come at a better time, as one particular week helped show exactly why these conversations are needed. Dean Ball, a senior fellow at the Foundation for American Innovation, noted, “This is not just some dispute over a contract. This is the first conversation we have had as a country about control over AI systems.”
We’re grateful that the declaimers recognized this major issue we call “the race to replace.” This should concern us all about a dystopian future where machines replace humans. This sense of urgency is shared among the American public, with recent polling showing that 95% of Americans do not want an unregulated race to superintelligence.
Max Tegmark, a prominent advocate for responsible AI and one of the signatories, remarked, “Polling suddenly [is showing] that 95% of all Americans oppose an unregulated race to superintelligence.” His participation underscores a large and increasing appetite for responsibility, oversight, and accountability in AI development.
The Pro-Human Declaration received bipartisan support from notable leaders. Even rad and populist boogeyman Steve Bannon, former Trump advisor, is enthusiastic about the document, endorsing it. So has President Obama’s U.S. National Security Advisor Susan Rice. This unlikely alliance is a testament to the broader commitment across the political spectrum to make sure that technology enhances humanity instead of threatening it.
Among the diverse group of signatories are progressive faith leaders and former Joint Chiefs Chairman Mike Mullen, emphasizing the declaration’s broad appeal across various sectors of society.
Tegmark expressed concern over the prospect of AI left to its own devices. He likened it to other legislation that shields people from offensive conduct. He stated, “If some creepy old man is texting an 11-year-old pretending to be a young girl and trying to persuade this boy to commit suicide, the guy can go to jail for that. We already have laws. It’s illegal. So why is it different if a machine does it?”
The declaration urges lawmakers and industry leaders to acknowledge these dangers. It advocates for policies that put people’s safety first and respect ethical leadership.