Join the W3C Human Centric AI Community Group and Help Build a Better Future for All
The future of our planet and its inhabitants depends on how we develop and use technology. As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes increasingly ubiquitous, it is critical that we ensure it is developed and used in ways that promote human well-being, human rights, and shared values. One of the ways this can be achieved is by defining a particular type or class of systems that are defined as Human Centric AI solutions. It is expected, that through the use of these future technologies, our capacity to advance our means to positively impact, to promote and deliver – transformationally positive development for all members of our human family, and through us, our biosphere, can be achieved, far beyond the SDGs.
Community Members of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) recognise the importance of this, and with the support provided via W3C, have cooperatively acted as to establish the Human Centric AI Community Group. The Members of the Community Group, will firstly be responsible for defining what the concept of ‘human-centric AI’ will actually means, the qualities and characteristics of something that can be called a Human Centric AI system, and therefore also – what can be shown to be something else.
Foundationally, the works on Human Centric AI extend from the works of many, over many years.
As we form better apparatus to easily review temporal events related to any particular subject, we’ll learn more; but, from my perspective (the author of this post); this group came about as a consequence of my previous works and attentions upon the many difficult challenges & requirements, to support human rights via technology, and in-particular therein – the functional properties of how Human Centric AI systems are made to work interoperability with the life of natural persons. These works seek to attend to human safety, welfare, rights, responsibilities and support for values. In generations past, remarkable persons have worked to emboidy values via works that have enscribed via an emboidment of texts, in many languages, human rights; as well as, various other values related instruments. We as a human family have many ‘Languages of Prayers and Religion-Sacred -Scriptures’, not all of them supported by the web. The history of Languages, Contracts and Trade is very old, but imagine what our world might be like if only the king was able to define the terms for the magna carta, which given that was not the case, was consequentially subject to negotiations held in a church in Holborn. Yet these sorts of considerations are not presently well defined as part of the broader Digital Transformation Agenda; nor is it obvious that many of the requirements to support Human Centric AI, presently exist and/or are widely available, on fair terms. So, works then led to action to ensure support related requirements via www.humancentricai.org.
More broadly, advancements in some of the many areas, is otherwise happening very quickly.
See the Introductory video on the Global Digital Compact produced by the World Wide Web Foundation with other stakeholder partners, below – note also: Related Past and Future Meetings)
The insights gained from WSIS2023 (see: videos) and related activities, alongside the emergence of an open letter calling for “Pause Giant AI Experiments: An Open Letter” on the risks of certain types of AI; now operating, in an environment that is defined by what exists now, rather than what might exist in the future; it became clear that more needed to be done, urgently. The ‘call to action’ illicited what i considered to be a moral responsibility to form this initative, and therby uplift capacity to address various issues; and ensure that our future, maintains support for both the rights and responsibilities of all members of our human family, at least – as an option.
“the distinction between reality and our knowledge of reality, between reality and information, cannot be made”
“The message of the quantum”, Anton Zeilinger
Human Centric AI, in whilst on and how it can be developed to benefit all members of our human family, particularly children, those with disabilities, and the vulnerable.
An Old Note:
“Consider a future device … in which an individual stores all his books, records, and communications, and which is mechanized so that it may be consulted with exceeding speed and flexibility. It is an enlarged intimate supplement to his memory.”
As Director of the Office of Scientific Research and Development, Dr. Vannevar Bush has coordinated the activities of some six thousand leading American scientists in the application of science to warfare. In this significant article he holds up an incentive for scientists when the fighting has ceased. He urges that men of science should then turn to the massive task of making more accessible our bewildering store of knowledge. For years inventions have extended man’s physical powers rather than the powers of his mind. Trip hammers that multiply the fists, microscopes that sharpen the eye, and engines of destruction and detection are new results, but not the end results, of modern science. Now, says Dr. Bush, instruments are at hand which, if properly developed, will give man access to and command over the inherited knowledge of the ages. The perfection of these pacific instruments should be the first objective of our scientists as they emerge from their war work.
The Atlantic – July 1945 “As We May Think“, By Vannevar Bush
Why We Need Your Help
Human-centric AI is about an ecosystem of tools that act to serve human kind, as aids, not rulers. Whilst there are many different types of AI systems and initiatives, Human Centric AI solutions seek to promote with effocacy, our knowledge, of ourselves, our consciousness; as natural agents, guardians and as an observers… It is expected that there may soon be many different vendors, providing different options, solutions, equipped to support inter-personal computing, that will all be different. So, what if you want to leave? What if you must leave? what if there’s a problem, and its important that it is able to be addressed peacefully, via rule of law.
By Forming the W3C Human Centric AI CG a venue has been established to ask and investigate these and the many other questions can be raised and responded to; as a consequence of how we employ, our attention. Consequentially, by deciding that you’ll be part of these formationally instrumental efforts, sought to be clearly defined to act to support means to preserve rights, promote human dignity and the creation of W3 related tools that pragmatically articulate our designs, into technical and social outputs; designed through our thoughtful behaviours, to support human rights in a manner that is associatively considered in connection to various w3c related considerations[1][2][3], you can be an important part of the solution. As is noted by many, including Jerome C. Glenn, Founder and CEO of The Millennium Project, the stakes and implications, are considered to be amongst the biggest challenges in our history.
So, the topic, the areas of consideration that are in some way reasonably considered ‘in-scope’, is big.
To achieve our cojoint goals, as defined by community activities, derivaties of worsk and our votes on nominated topics; our cojoint means to produce the supporting apparatus & pieces of systems that need to be made, as to support various ‘safety protocols’, and aspects that fit into ‘permissive commons’, now has some form of initial structured opportunity environment, a ‘foundation stone’, to help us do the work.
Therein, for instance, one of the many ‘safety protocols’, is to ensure support for portability, so that the circumstances of any human beings life is able to be supported by the technology they are dependent upon, even prisoners and certainly also, those who may otherwise be denied natural justice. Equally, yet differently, is the means to define a series of qualities and/or specifications, that denote whether a system is compatible with some future ‘human centric ai’ specification; that may well include these sorts of functional requirements, in a market where other solutions that are available, may not.
By forming a W3C Human Centric AI Community Group, efforts are supported to seek to ensure that we define what could be useful for implementers, such as safety protocols and other practical requirements to ensure interoperability, fairness, safety and innovation. The Human Centric AI CG has been established in an effort to ensure that AI is developed in ways that promote human rights, shared values, and the well-being of all people, regardless of their backgrounds or circumstances.
Yet, moreover, one of the intial tasks for the Human Centric AI Community Group is to define what the concept of ‘human centric ai’, should mean, followed by the Charter for the Group; and in-turn, how those qualities can be achieved through the development of AI related technological and social commons that prioritise interoperability, safety protocols, and positive impact on society. By joining this effort, you can help shape the future of how AI is made available, the qualities of its impacts and implications and to ensure the promotion of activities that work to provide options that empower the use of technology, as a force for good that benefits all members of our human family, particularly those who are most vulnerable, in a particular kind of way.
Who We Are Looking For
We are seeking people who are committed to building a better future for all and who recognise the importance of putting people at the centre of technology. An illustrative guide of the types of people we are looking for include: but is not limited to,
- Technologists and AI researchers who are passionate about developing technology to prioritise values that relate to areas of consideration; including but not limited to, human well-being, human rights, personal ontology, selfhood, personhood, human agency, right to self-determination, thrivability, learning and knowledge, and associative and permissive decentralised informatics systems.
- Civil Society advocates who can bring important perspectives on the needs of all members of our human family; including vulnerable populations, those with disabilities & special needs whether it be on a temporary or on-going basis.
- Liberal Arts and Sciences professionals (NB: See Liberal Arts Education); whose skills and insights, may foster and improve our ability to take into consideration various factors associated to identity development, access and modalities of (life-long) learning and the various other factors needed to ensure Human Centric AI systems development considers the needs and well-being of both; all members of our human family and that children be provided special consideration, protections, in support of their human rights. (NB See: UN CRC)
- Leaders in various fields; including, Public, Private, Community & Civil Society Leaders, Corporate and Institutional Leaders, Artists, Administrators, Creators and Makers, who are committed to promoting shared values and principles embodied by values, such as those defined by human rights instruments.
- Social entrepreneurs who are focused on using technology to create positive social impact.
- Subject Matter Experts; whose expertise in any of the many areas of our world of life and knowledge, may be articulated into some form of derivative of otherwise unforeseen importance, temporally.
How to Get Involved
This W3C Community Group, is just starting, and we’re actively seeking New Members who can help us work together to form a shared understanding, and set of principles that can help us define future works, and indeed also, give us some idea of how it is we think that we should be able to achieve defined goals.
We are particularly interested in identifying any particular characteristics of importance, that should be considered as soon as possible. We are also very interested in identifying any ‘quick wins’; supporting cooperative research, learning and support for anyone interested in getting a better grasp on it all, and as may otherwise be assumed, may well be able to help others in other areas of expertise.
If you’re interested in joining the Human Centric AI Community Group and helping to build options to support what choices can be made, promoting a better future for all, there are several ways to get involved:
- Join our mailing list or forum to receive updates and participate in discussions
- Contribute to our work by sharing ideas, research, or other resources.
- Participate in working groups or subcommittees that focus on specific aspects of our mission
To get started, simply visit our website and follow the instructions to sign up for our mailing list or join our forum.
We look forward to welcoming you to our community and working together to learn, consider, develop and build derivative useful works, intended to empower our means to forge a better future for all members of our human family, through our efforts.
The W3C Human Centric AI Community Group is an opportunity to make a meaningful contribution to the development of AI that promotes human well-being, human rights, and shared values. By joining our community, you can help to shape the future of AI and ensure that it is developed in ways that benefit all members of our human family, particularly children, those with disabilities, and the vulnerable. We invite you to join us on this journey and help build a better future for all.
NOTE: Whilst these are not official w3c services or communities, there is also pre-existing Web Civics community sites established previously on Facebook, Linkedin, Discord that can be found via humancentricai.org that may be of interim assistance on an ‘unofficial basis’, in the beginnings of this W3C Human Centric AI CG effort, and a Channel for CG Members has been established in the Human Centric AI Discord server, if that’s helpful; noting that, in addition to the W3C Code of Conduct considerations, the discord group in particular, makes reference to a range of values instruments. These values instruments, are intended to become values-credentials, produced as electronic artifacts that people may then in-turn employ in their agreements between one-another, as is on the ‘to do’ list…
Overall, the expectation is for honourable behaviour to a founding constituency to this and any other and/or related, communities of practice; and to respect & if needed tolerate any differences, whilst refraining from ‘conduct unbecoming’… Which is sometimes hard when the main means of engagement is via public lists, as sometimes there’s stuff happening in the background, that shouldn’t be made public.
in these and other circumstances of difficulty, i note that W3C has formal processes to keep people safe.
“The fact that there are pressures and costs does not absolve people of their moral responsibility. The primary custodian of one’s actions is oneself.”
Noam Chomsky Tue, 3 Apr 2018 via email
Therein, What matters most, is what people, human people, we, do. not what other people do…
How to Join
If you are not already a W3C member and do not have an account, its easy to get one. You’ll find the form to create an account via this link: https://www.w3.org/accounts/request
Once you’ve joined, and are able to log-in, go to the Human Centric AI CG page: https://www.w3.org/community/humancentricai/# find the section that says ‘Get Involved’, which has a link to Join (or leave) the group. Once you’ve joined, you’ll be added to the public mailing list, and through that, various other means to participate, collaborate and engage in cooperative activities intended to support productively useful progress, including but not limited to discussions.
Any questions, feel welcome to reach out and get in touch. Hope This Helps!!!
Timothy Holborn
