Are laws needed for AI?

["Dave Farber" <farber () gmail com>]

Begin forwarded message:

> From: "Richard Hill" <rhill () hill-a ch>
> Date: October 29, 2018 20:38:11 JST
> To: "Internetpolicy@Elists. Isoc. Org" <internetpolicy () elists isoc org>
> Subject: [Internet Policy] Are laws needed for AI?
>
> The article referenced below argues, provocatively, that laws (and not just non-binding codes of conduct) are needed 
> for AI.
>
> http://rsta.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/376/2133/20180089  (web version) 
>
> http://rsta.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/roypta/376/2133/20180089.full.pdf    (pdf version)
>
> I cite some bits:
>
> "The triad of human rights, democracy and the rule of law
> are the core elements of western, liberal constitutions, ..."
>
> ...
>
> "Their explicit or implicit claim that parliamentarians and governments do not understand the
> Internet and new technology such as AI, and thus have no legitimacy to put rules for these
> in place, is not matched with a self-reflection on how little technologists actually understand
> democracy and the functioning of the rule of law as well as the need to protect fundamental
> rights in a world in which technology increasingly tends to undermine all these three pillars of
> constitutional democracy."
>
> ...
>
> "It is astonishing how much in the defensive the proponents of law for AI are today, as after all
> there is a long history of technology regulation by law. Every architect must already learn during
> studies the building code and work according to its legal rules, which give form to the public
> interest not to have buildings collapse. Every car on the street must go through type approval,
> for reasons of safety. The legal duty to put on seatbelts, heavily fought against by industry and
> automobile clubs alike, eventually reduced the number of traffic deaths by half. Over and over
> society has confirmed the experience that law, and not the absence of law, relating to critical
> technology serves the interests of the general public."
>
> ...
>
> "We live in a world which is shaped at least as much by technology as it is by law and democracy.
> And in the same way that the people shape the law and the law shapes the behaviour of people,
> we need to get used to—and practice—that the law is shaped by technology and technology is
> shaped by the law. Any technology has lived with being shaped by the law so far, and it is high
> time that Silicon Valley and the digital Internet industry also accept this necessity of democracy."
>
> ...
>
> "In the same way that an architect from the outset of designing a house has to think of
> compliance with the building code, programmers of AI will have to think from the outset of
> program development about how their future program could affect democracy, fundamental
> rights and the rule of law, and how to ensure that the program does not undermine or disregard,
> but respect and in an ideal case strengthen these basic tenants of constitutional democracy"
>
> Best,
> Richard
>
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