The Argument For An AI Community Bill of Rights [Op-Ed]
In a medical setting, the Patient Bill of Rights serves to protect the safety and fair treatment of individuals when their health and well-being are at stake. It is a safeguard to avoid discrimination, unnecessary harm, and violations of patient rights. I believe that this is the kind of format that should be utilized to protect communities from AI supercomputer facilities as well.
When it comes to protecting those who live in the shadow of AI facilities, we know that there must be clear standards that center the needs of the community.
As AI technology grows exponentially, an AI Community Bill of Rights is not only warranted but necessary. As the founder of The Black Church Food Security Network, I can’t help but wonder how these supercomputers will impact the land, the environment, and the overall health and safety of nearby communities. They are already creating pollution and causing health problems for those who live nearby. This says nothing of the misuse of data and other related concerns.
Supercomputer facilities disproportionately affect Black and Brown communities, such as Boxtown in Memphis, where over 90% of residents are Black. The community deserves assurances that it will be protected to the greatest possible extent. All people have a right to health and safety; Black communities are no exception. We have a right to breathe clean air. We have a right to leave our homes without fear of pollutants entering our bodies at disproportionate levels. These rights must be recognized and respected.
We recommend these elements be included in an AI Community Bill of Rights:
- When it comes to AI, all communities should expect and demand transparency and clarity around the impact of AI supercomputer facilities in the region. Companies and facilities must clearly outline their building plans, the expected impacts on the environment and local water access, and the radius from their facilities that will feel those impacts. Companies must be available to answer questions, respond to concerns, and share important information even without direct prompting.
- We have the right to clean water, clean air, and a safe environment. Our food, hygiene, health, and the future of our families all rely on access to adequate water sources and a pollution-free environment. AI facilities are using mass quantities of water where supplies are already strained.
Should a facility produce excessive pollution (with acceptable levels established by a reliable environmental organization), the company must take measures to reduce it and implement more sustainable operations. Should water sources be drained to the point where our communities do not have enough available water by tap for our needs, the company must stop activity until a solution can be enacted.
- We have the right to compensation for medical conditions and health risks that are caused or exacerbated by supercomputer facilities. Pollution from supercomputer facilities has been directly linked to increased rates of asthma, heart disease, cancer, and many other chronic conditions.
Upon receipt of a diagnosis linked to an AI facility, the company must immediately and perpetually cover the cost of medical bills associated with that diagnosis. Additionally, should we need to buy bottled water in an interim period because of the facility’s water consumption, the company must compensate us for the purchase.
- We have the right to community investment from companies developing in the region. Injecting revenue into nearby communities, such as the recently passed tax ordinance in Memphis, may be one step taken by companies within a comprehensive plan to protect affected neighborhoods. Importantly, these financial supports must be accompanied by health and safety assurances to be effective.
- We have the right to special considerations for jobs or contracts at facilities in the community. Companies developing AI supercomputer facilities must make deliberate efforts to hire applicants from affected neighborhoods and employ from local communities before searching elsewhere. Economic opportunities must be afforded to communities that are affected by a facility’s presence. Again, this must work in tandem with guarantees of health and safety.
- We have the right to continued health, safety, and support regardless of the future of the supercomputer facility. Technology is a rapidly developing field, and what exists here today may not exist here tomorrow. However, the impacts on the environment, community, and health of residents will continue as soon as development begins. The aforementioned rights regarding health and environmental safety are not limited by time or a facility’s continued presence.
What I have shared here may seem out of reach, or like an undue burden to AI companies, but when we consider the impact that these facilities have on our community, we should not shy away from making substantial demands. It will certainly take great work to enact and enforce these rights. However, this is what is necessary to protect our communities from exploitation and discrimination. Without a safeguard to hold supercomputer facilities accountable for their impact on our communities, these companies will continue to abuse their power with no regard for the lives of Black people who will have to live with the consequences for the rest of their lives.
Every community has rights, and we deserve the respect and protections necessary to live our lives safely and well. No company can provide any level of convenience worth sacrificing the quality of our lives. Progress is possible to protect the health and well-being of our communities. To achieve it, we must collectively lift our voices and fight for our rights before more damage is done. Working together, we hold the power to demand and make the kinds of changes that we need. As these facilities develop, I encourage everyone to begin discussing what an AI Community Bill of Rights should look like for your community and then start organizing to make it a reality.
Rev. Dr. Heber Brown, III is an author, pastor, and founder of The Black Church Food Security Network.
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We Should Care About The Harm Generative AI Is Causing
The Argument For An AI Community Bill of Rights [Op-Ed] was originally published on newsone.com
