In the early years of artificial intelligence research, AI technologies were mostly regulated by the limitations of computing power. Data processing was painfully slow by today’s standards and a relatively small group of computer scientists were creating and using nascent AI applications.
Decades later, we have entered a new era where governments and every major technology company are focused on leveraging AI to transform our daily lives and livelihoods. Powerful artificial intelligence tools are now at our fingertips.
But even among well-intentioned initiatives to use AI for data-driven decision making, increased economic productivity and health care automation, the risk of negative consequences is mounting. As technical boundaries shrink, we face a growing urgency to close governance gaps so that we can steer this technology toward equitable and sustainable development — in other words, shape AI for good.