Open letter calls for AI to be recognised as ‘force for good’

The letter was signed by thinkers including Dr Anne-Marie Imafidon MBE (Stemettes CEO), Sir Ken Olisa OBE entrepreneur and philanthropist, and Prof Luciano Floridi (Oxford Internet Institute - University of Oxford), to counter ‘AI doom’.

BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, has written and circulated a statement asserting that AI has the potential to enhance every aspect of life, as long as its creators adhere to global professional and technical standards.

Ahead of the UK hosting the first global summit on AI safety in the autumn, BCS's positive letter emphasises the importance of recognising AI's potential for good. The government views the summit as an opportunity for "like-minded countries" to collaborate and address AI-related concerns collectively.

Earlier this year, a letter, which included Elon Musk's signature, called for a 'pause' on AI development. BCS, however, deemed this approach unrealistic and believed it could inadvertently benefit malicious actors. Meanwhile, the Centre for AI Safety issued another letter warning about the necessity of making the mitigation of AI-related extinction risks a global priority.

Rashik Parmar MBE, CEO of BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT said: “The technologists and leaders who signed our statement believe AI won’t grow up like The Terminator but instead as a trusted co-pilot in learning, work, healthcare, entertainment.

“One way of achieving that is for AI to be created and managed by licensed and ethical professionals meeting standards that are recognised across international borders.

“The public need confidence that the experts not only know how to create and use AI but how to use it responsibly. Yes, AI is a journey with no return ticket, but this letter shows the tech community doesn’t believe it ends with the nightmare scenario of evil robot overlords.”

Supporters of the letter come from fields ranging from academia to health, to industry, to professional bodies.

Other signatories include Professor Danielle George MBE, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Manchester; Max Bramer, Emeritus Professor of IT, University of Portsmouth; Polly Curtis, CEO of Demos; Andrew Simpson, Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine; Austin Tate, Emeritus Professor of Knowledge-Based Systems, Artificial Intelligence Applications Institute - University of Edinburgh; Scott Cadzow, Chair of ETSI’s Securing AI Group; Professor Raphael Hirshi, Director of the Digital Society Institute, Keele University.

The text of the BCS letter signed by over 1,300 technologists and thinkers so far reads: “AI is not an existential threat to humanity; it will be a transformative force for good if we get critical decisions about its development and use right.

“The UK can help lead the way in setting professional and technical standards in AI roles, supported by a robust code of conduct, international collaboration, and fully resourced regulation.

“By doing so, ‘Coded in Britain’ can become a global byword for high-quality, ethical, inclusive AI.”

The invitation for signatures was issued on 7 June 2023. At the time of publication over 1,370 people had signed the statement.

If you'd like to show your support you can add your signature to the open letter on the future of AI.