AI and the need for all users to have an ‘AI driver’s license’

A recent survey of AI researchers, where nearly half said they believe there’s at least a 10% chance AI could eventually result in an extremely bad outcome like human extinction, with a powerful analogy from the Center for Humane Technology:

A simple solution that regulators need to adopt — before we get overwhelmed with bad actors using it — is ensuring valid identification of users (e.g. social security numbers or national id numbers) are entered.

This will have a number of benefits:

1. Traceability & Accountability: AI systems can make decisions that have significant impacts on individuals and society as a whole. Having identification for users would help to ensure that individuals can be held accountable for the decisions made by AI systems, reducing the risk of bias and discrimination, and ensuring we can also trace ‘bad actors’ who use it maliciously.
2. Security: AI systems can be used to access sensitive information, such as financial information or medical records. Having identification for users would help to ensure that only authorized users are able to access this information, reducing the risk of data breaches and other security incidents.
3. Personalization: AI systems can be used to personalize the user. experience, such as by recommending products or services based on a user’s past use, and aligning the degree of creativity or professionalism to the user’s preference. Having identification for users would allow AI systems to better personalize the user experience, as they would have access to more information about the user.
4. Transparency: AI systems can be opaque, making it difficult for users to understand how decisions are being made. Having identification for users would help to increase transparency, as users would be able to see how their data is being used and how decisions are being made.
5. Inter-agency coordination nationally and internationally will be key for enforcement, and it’s time the world wakes up — to be more responsible with technology.

Overall, having identification for users of AI would help to ensure that AI systems are used in a safe, responsible, and transparent manner, while also providing users with a more personalized and secure experience.

Thanks to my AI Task Force Colleague at Delivery Associates Clay McCoy for his thought partnership on this, and a number of our good friends.