Agency First AI (AFAI) Manifesto

Problem Statement

As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly autonomous and integrated into our lives, a critical risk emerges: the erosion of human agency. Complex, opaque AI systems can make decisions that impact individuals without their understanding, consent, or control. This creates a future where human choice is subtly and systematically replaced by machine-driven directives, undermining the very foundation of self-determination.

Solution

Agency First AI (AFAI) is a framework designed to counteract this trend by placing human agency at the center of AI development and operation. Our prime directive is to ensure that AI systems preserve, measure, and protect the capacity of individuals to make informed, voluntary, and meaningful choices.

We introduce the Agency Preservation Score (APS), a quantifiable metric to evaluate an AI's impact on human agency in any given interaction. The APS is calculated based on factors such as: - Transparency: Is the AI's reasoning clear and understandable? - Consent: Did the user make an informed and revocable choice? - Optionality: Can the user override, modify, or ignore the AI's suggestion?

Demonstration

To prove the viability of AFAI and the APS metric, we have developed a demonstration harness. This simulation environment models various AI-human interaction scenarios, calculating the APS in real-time.

Next Steps

This is the first step. Our roadmap includes: 1. Refining the APS Metric: Enhance the APS calculation with more sophisticated, context-aware variables. 2. Expanding the Demo Harness: Add more complex scenarios to test the limits of agency preservation. 3. Developing Open-Source Tools: Release libraries and tools for developers to integrate AFAI principles into their own projects.