Civil society can help ensure AI benefits us all. Here’s how

Most people remain uncertain of exactly how artificial intelligence (AI) will affect their lives. For a more constructive and broad awareness of the role AI can and should play in our everyday existence, civil society must become a critical stakeholder in global efforts to expedite the benefits of AI and mitigate against its risks.

Much has been written about both the promise and perils of the development and diffusion of AI throughout the world. This emerging technology is projected to lead to tremendous economic growth. It is feeding a geopolitical rivalry between nations, while revolutionizing how we tackle global issues, such as climate change, preventable diseases and the next pandemic. Indeed, it is already transforming nearly every aspect of our lives from how we communicate to how we transact in business.

Yet, AI also raises problems around accountability, fairness, and transparency. It’s shaping how and what information we consume and increasingly moving into decision-making roles that pose risks to groups long held back by issues such as discrimination, bias and surveillance. It’s feeding anxiety around unemployment and inequality and fuelling concerns about how it will impact what it means to be human, to be productive and to exercise free will.

To help address these issues and steer AI in a positive direction, the role of civil society is more important than ever. As the third sector, it brings a crucial voice to the table in discussions over how this emerging technology can benefit all parts of society.

During the industrial revolution at the beginning of the 20th century, the rise of citizen‐based activism helped resolve many negative impacts by focusing on worker rights and quality of life. Faith‐based charities, labour unions and other organized associations helped improve worker conditions and reduce new emerging risks. Since then, civil society has advocated for workers, marginalized populations and others when the benefits of industry went unshared. Today, civil society can play a similar role to shape AI’s future.

Especially now, as governments and industry grapple with how to earn the trust of their citizens and customers when deploying AI in sensitive areas like healthcare and finance, civil society can bring balance and perspective to the conversation. It can fill blind spots and ease fears among those who would stand to lose the most in a world dominated by unchecked algorithms and data.

Civil society can play a vital role in AI’s development and diffusion in the following ways:

Although discussions over AI’s impact have existed in some form for several decades, many public and civil society actors have only recently started to engage with the subject of AI and, even then, their engagement has only focused on certain issues. As a result, influence over the discourse on responsible AI has fallen considerably to other sectors. This imbalance will ultimately hold back the potential of AI, not only for the most vulnerable, but for others too, including business and government.

Both business and government can support civil society by making room at the table during discussions over responsible AI. Many governments are leading the way, including New Zealand and Singapore, by establishing bodies focused on AI governance and leading national discussions that include civil society. Businesses are doing the same by embracing a multistakeholder approach to ensure AI doesn’t just generate billions in value but also generates benefits for billions.

There are three legs to the stool of AI governance: government, business and civil society. The approach to securing the responsible and beneficial use of this emerging technology must include that third leg if we are going to succeed.