The United Russia party has unveiled the ‘Digital Manifesto’, within which it proposed restricting the use of artificial intelligence technologies in sensitive sectors. This is reported by RIA Novosti.
“The state should not and cannot delegate key functions or the right to decision-making from humans to autonomous artificial intelligence systems or digital platforms in areas of activity that affect constitutional rights — medicine, jurisprudence, education, property, the right to work and others,” the document states.
The manifesto contains theses on the impermissibility of digital discrimination and ‘total surveillance’. The party wants to ban technologies aimed at infringing citizens’ rights, among which are digital evaluation tools and social rating.
The document also proposes ensuring freedom of expression on the Internet, safeguarding the digital space from ‘destructive content’, creating conditions for distance education, guaranteeing compliance with the law by multinational IT companies, and protecting Russians from cybercrime.
According to Alexander Khinshtein, chairman of the State Duma Committee on Information Policy, the manifesto forms part of a national programme.
“After we discuss it [the ‘Digital Manifesto’], United Russia will consider proposals and seek to formalise it for approval at the Presidium meeting of the Party’s General Council,” he said.
The deputy added that the document would be refined in line with expert proposals and with due regard to balancing social interests and technological progress.
Representatives of Sber supported the aim to make AI technology safe and useful for society. The company said it was ready to join the refinement of the manifesto.
“We believe that artificial intelligence often serves as a partner to humans in making quick, and above all, well-considered decisions. At the same time, we believe that innovations must always be guided by the interests of people,” they said in Sber’s press service.
In August, in Saint Petersburg, a software suite with artificial intelligence for social-media analytics was presented, which identifies users of ‘death groups’ or adolescents with suicidal tendencies.
In July, the Ministry of Education proposed to employ AI to check students’ homework for schoolchildren.
In June, Russian courts began to use artificial intelligence to prepare documents and verify the details.
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