Proof of Humanity
When AI Profits, People Must Too

Why I Started Proof of Humanity

Proof of Humanity When AI Profits, People Must Too.

This blog arose from a question that I asked my AI chatbot. I wanted a conceptual plan to create proper monetization of information derived from human knowledge. The problem I see is that the owners of AI systems profit too heavily from the work of others, with devastating social consequences. AI must form a stable partnership with both its owners and its contributors. This scheme must address information gleaned from two sources. First, general knowledge which must compensate all humans within a jurisdiction. Second, individual creative work by humans that contributes to AI products. Everything that AI uses comes from one of these two sources. AI must find and allocate a revenue share from the revenues that AI generates. This should not be a tax. It should be a direct distribution plan. It would be similar to Social Security for the general use of human knowledge. Creative/use-rights royalties would be granted for those who produce creative content.

Why did I ask this question? I fear for the future of my young adult children. I fear for the future of humanity. Without workable, practical, real-world answers, I foresee massive disruption for a large percentage of humanity while a few garner extreme—indeed obscene—wealth. If left unaddressed, AI could become the very monster people fear. It could turn into something that “takes over the world.” As society destabilizes, the agendas of those directing AI will increasingly conflict with the well-being of humankind. This situation will affect humanity as a whole.

Who am I, and what makes me qualified to spout off about this issue? Well, I’m not a techie. I’m not a policy wonk. I’m an end user—the “impactee”—just like my children. What I do have is experience solving tough problems in large, complex systems. In a former life, I was an animal trainer. I started doing shows and eventually evolved into a behavioral consultant for zoos and other animal facilities. Many of the practices that once seemed radical are now ho-hum because they’ve been institutionalized. Some have even been written into the U.S. Animal Welfare Act and into animal welfare legislation elsewhere.

My work included developing protocols to collect biological samples from large, potentially dangerous animals in zoos and research facilities—without chemical or physical restraint—while keeping staff safe. How to handle elephants safely for humans and humanely for the animals. I developed programs to stimulate sterile environments for animals whose natural habitats had been stripped away. They focused on both species appropriate environmental features as well as meaningful work tied to food and well-being. When I began working on these issues, they were brand-new, tough, multifaceted problems with no existing solutions.

That last point—animals needing to work—is part of this discussion. People need work. People need purpose. Any solution we come up with must preserve that fundamental human need, and AI can help us do exactly that. So my goal with this blog is simple. To stimulate discussion. The specific aim is to cook up practical ways to tackle this gigantic issue—and maybe contribute at least one small piece of the answer of this puzzle. If that resonates with you, hop on board.

Tim Desmond