“AI is far more dangerous than nukes [nuclear war-heads]. Far. Then why don't we have regulatory oversight? This is insane.”

Elon Musk

Source: Clifford, Catherine (2018) Elon Musk: “Mark my words – A.I. is far more dangerous than nukes”. In: CNBC, Online, Image source: Wikipedia

“Unless we learn how to prepare for, and avoid, the potential risks, AI could be the worst event in the history of our civilization. It brings dangers, like powerful autonomous weapon, or new ways for the few to oppress the many. It could bring great disruption to our economy.”

Stephen Hawking

Source: Kharpal, Arjun (2017): “Stephen Hawking says A.I. could be ‘worst event in the history of our civilization’”. In: CNBC, Online, Image source: stern.de

International Data-Based Systems Agency IDA

Guaranteeing globally human rights not only offline but also online and in the domain of Data-Based Systems (DS), an International Data-Based Systems Agency (IDA) is necessary.

Why

Humanity and the Planet Are In Imminent Danger

Digital transformation and so-called “artificial intelligence (AI)” – which can more adequately be called “data-based systems (DS)” – comprise ethical opportunities and ethical risks. DS can be powerful for fostering human rights and sustainability but also for violating human rights and for destroying our planet.

Therefore, it is necessary to identify ethical opportunities and ethical risks as well as opportunities for promoting human rights and human rights risks precisely and at an early stage in order to be able to benefit sustainably from the opportunities and to master or avoid the risks. In the avoidance and mastering of risks, technology-based innovation can in turn play an essential role.

In order to guarantee human rights and to promote sustainability globally not only “offline” but also “online”, in the digital sphere as well as in the domain of Data-Based Systems (DS) –, an International Data-Based Systems Agency (IDA) needs to be established at the UN.

Play Video

Yale University: Keynote on “Striving for a Sustainable and Human Rights-Based Future – An International Data-Based Systems Agency IDA” by Professor Dr Peter G. Kirchschlaeger (Ethics-Professor and Director of the Institute of Social Ethics ISE at the University of Lucerne)

How

All Humans and the Planet Should Flourish with DS

Human Rights-Based Data-Based Systems (HRBDS)

Human rights-based data-based systems (HRBDS) means that human rights serve as the basis of digital transformation and DS, e.g., the human rights to privacy and data-protection must be respected. HRBDS exclude the possibility that humans should be able to sell themselves and their data as well as their privacy as products.

Innovation and Human Rights Going Hand in Hand

One possible solution to foster innovation and to make data use legitimate in accordance with the right to privacy and data protection would be the “purpose-driven data use” approach. The “purpose-driven data use” approach starts from the right to privacy and data-protection as a prerequisite and respects this right.

Concrete Example: Purpose-Driven Data Use

In automated driving, for example, people must identify themselves with their data and enter their location and destination in order to enjoy automated driving at all. But this data is only provided to enable the driving process. It may neither be used for other purposes nor sold on to third parties. The users also do not have the option of selling this data themselves (e.g. to obtain a discount). Beyond that, fully anonymized data may only be kept for the optimization of the collective automated mobility with the informed consent of the users.

An Analogy Shows: It Works!

To illustrate this approach in its feasibility, the following analogy serves: when one goes to the doctor, one also shares personal data so that the doctor knows who she has in front of her, and one tells her about one’s illness in order to hopefully experience relief from suffering as well as healing, without either the doctor being allowed to resell this data or the patient being offered to sell this data in order to receive better medical treatment. The doctor may also keep the patient’s file with the medical history strictly confidential – exclusively for the purpose of better treatment of the patient. It is also possible to share completely anonymized data for research purposes if the patient gives informed consent to this sharing.

What

International Data-Based Systems Agency (IDA)

An International Data-Based Systems Agency (IDA) needs to be established at the UN as a platform for technical cooperation in the field of digital transformation and DS fostering human rights, safety, security, and peaceful uses of DS as well as a global supervisory and monitoring institution and regulatory authority in the area of digital transformation and DS. IDA would contribute to sustainable and human rights-based data-based systems (HRBDS).

Is IDA Realistic?

The establishment of IDA is realistic because humanity has already shown in its past that we are able to not always “blindly” pursue and implement the technical possible, but also to limit ourselves to what is technically feasible when the welfare of humanity and the planet are at stake. For example, humans researched the field of nuclear technology, developed the atomic bomb, it was dropped several times, but then humans substantially and massively limited research and development in the field of nuclear technology, in order to prevent even worse, despite massive resistance. This suppression was successful to the greatest possible extent, thanks to an international regime, concrete enforcement mechanisms, and thanks to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) at the UN.

Who

Sustainable and human rights-based data-based systems (HRBDS) and the International Data-Based Systems Agency (IDA) are results of multi-year-long research-project (started at Yale University and finalized at the University of Lucerne) led by Professor Dr. Peter G. Kirchschlaeger (Ethics-Professor and Director of the Institute of Social Ethics ISE at the University of Lucerne and Visiting Professor at the ETH AI Center, ETH Zurich).