Case studies of self-governance to reduce technology risk
Summary Self-governance occurs when private actors coordinate to address issues that are not obviously related to profit, with minimal involvement from governments and standards bodies. Historical cases of self-governance to reduce technology risk are rare. I find 6 cases that seem somewhat similar to AI development, including the actions of Leo Szilard and other physicists in 1939 and the 1975 Asilomar conference. The following factors seem to make self-governance efforts more likely to occur: Risks are salient The government looks like it might step in if private actors do nothing The field or industry is small Support from gatekeepers (like journals and large consumer-facing firms) Support from credentialed scientists. After the initial self-governance effort, governments usually step in to develop […]
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