CIVICAi applauds New York’s Artificial Intelligence Action Plan and calls for action
CIVICAi celebrates the initiative of the city of New York to address the use of AI with its Artificial Intelligence Action Plan. As a citizen organization committed to transparency, democratic participation, and the common good, the entities forming CIVICAi view this step as a significant turning point in the socialization of this disruptive technology.
The fact that New York, a city with global influence, has adopted this initiative marks a crucial difference in the approach to AI. The recognition of the fundamental role of civil society, as well as collaboration with industry and academia, is a notable aspect of the Action Plan.
It is encouraging to see that other cities, especially in our homeland, are also considering AI-related strategies. However, we emphasize that New York is the first, since the rise of generative AI, to present a plan with a prominent role for civil society, citizen organizations, academia, and industry.
Seizing this opportunity, CIVICAi has created a manifesto in which it aims to underscore several important points:
- That citizen involvement alongside democratic governments, industry, and experts is the way forward to address the significant social impact of AI.
- That we fully support an initiative that originates from the government level closest to the lives of citizens and their organizations: cities. It is these entities that have the legitimacy, strength, and proximity to citizens to lead the socialization of AI with global thinking and local action.
- That we invite cities in Catalonia, Spain, and around the world to mirror themselves (obviously, acting with the local vision and circumstances of each) in the initiative of the major North American city. Regulation and proposals are needed from governments, but above all, action plans are needed to mobilize society to implement AI for the benefit of people and their organizations, societies, and cultures.
- That we have initiated an action plan to promote initiatives like that of New York with Catalan cities and Spanish autonomous communities, through alliances aligned with the vision expressed in our founding manifesto.
The participation of civil society in AI governance, collaboration with governments, industry, and experts, as well as local action with a global vision, are the fundamental pillars that will guide the path toward an ethical and beneficial implementation of Artificial Intelligence.
