Guardrails for AI: Illustrating Risks and the Dire Need for Boundaries

We need real meaningful frameworks around AI to make things fair for everyone on all sides of business deals. This should cover many aspects, and serve CEOs, employees and everyone else so AI can be a net benefit for everybody and no one is left out in the cold or left holding the bag for someone else. Having one’s likeness or voice used without permissions and payments can be disruptive at best, and destructive at worst. Consent and compensation, are key parts of what can make things actually work well for everybody.

Even with little training, I have been able to make these, two videos of people saying and doing things they did not. And the point of them is to show, not just tell about, the need for meaningful frameworks in laws and contracts around the use of AI and machine learning systems.

(Disney’s Wonderful World of AI announcement on my YouTube)

(AMPTP Unionization Update: Carol Lombardini’s Statement on my YouTube)

I chose Bob Iger and Carol Lombardini because they have the power and positions to help put laws and frameworks in place to make things good for everyone. I also chose them in part because they are very wealthy, powerful, privileged people for whom the jeopardy of being imitated like this is lower than it would be for most people. If this were comedy, this would be punching up.

The work doesn’t need to start from zero on AI and machine learning safeguards. People have already laid out some beginnings for what may make good frameworks and guidelines around AI:

• The Human Artistry Campaign has drawn up some guidelines for what Generative AI might be like,
• IASTE has created a PDF of Core Principles for Applications of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Technology
• Salesforce has shared 5 Guidelines for Responsible Development of Generative AI

And I have written about producers’ urgent need for useful frameworks around AI too: AI Risks Are Catastrophic for Producers Without Clear Guidelines on the Use of Actor Likenesses and Voices.

© Copyright August 18, 2023, David August, all rights reserved davidaugust.com

David August is an award-winning actor, acting coach, writer, director, and producer. He plays a role in the movie Dependent’s Day, and after its theatrical run, it’s now out on Amazon (affiliate link). He has appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live on ABC, on the TV show Ghost Town, and many others. His artwork has been used and featured by multiple writers, filmmakers, theatre practitioners, and others to express visually. Off-screen, he has worked at ad agencies, start-ups, production companies, and major studios, helping them tell stories their customers and clients adore. He has guest lectured at USC’s Marshall School of Business about the Internet.