The AIWS 7-Layer Model to Build Next Generation Democracy

Abstract

The Artificial Intelligence World Society (AIWS) is a set of values, ideas, concepts and protocols for standards and norms whose goal is to advance the peaceful development of AI to improve the quality of life for all humanity. It was conceived by the Michael Dukakis Institute for Leadership and Innovation (MDI) and established on November 22, 2017. The World Leadership Alliance – Club de Madrid (WLA-CdM) and the Boston Global Forum (BGF) are partnered with the MDI to collaborate and develop the AIWS initiative. The President of WLA-CdM, Vaira Vike-Freiberga, serves as co-chair of AIWS activities and conferences along with Governor Michael Dukakis. The Next Generation Democracy (NGD) is an initiative founded by WLA-CdM with the goal of “enabling democracy to meet the expectations and needs of all citizens and preserve their freedom and dignity while securing a sustainable future.” NGD is a collaboration and forum, coordinated by WLA-CdM. AIWS has partnered with WLA-CdM to promote the development of AI to support the Next Generation Democracy initiative. To align the development of AI with the NGD initiative, the AIWS has developed the AIWS 7-Layer Model. This model establishes a set of responsible norms and best practices for the development, management, and uses of AI so that this technology is safe, humanistic and beneficial to society. In developing the 7-Layer Model, the AIWS recognizes that we live in a chaotic world with differing, and sometimes conflicting, goals, values and concepts of norms. Hence, the Model is aspirational and even idealistic. Nonetheless, it provides a baseline for guiding AI development to ensure positive outcomes and to reduce the risks of pervasive and realistic risks and the related harms that AI could pose to humanity. The Model is based on the assumption that humans ultimately accountable for the develop0ment and use of AI, and must therefore preserve that accountability. Hence, it stresses transparency of AI reasoning, applications, and decision making, which will lead to auditability and validation of the uses of AI systems.