MANILA, Philippines – Rappler has launched an experimental online consultation forum to crowdsource inputs from the public on policies that should govern artificial intelligence platforms, Nobel Peace Prize laureate and Rappler CEO Maria Ressa announced at the 2023 Social Good Summit on Saturday, September 16.

The forum is called aiDialogue, an AI-moderated chatroom that aims to gather insights to a vital question: How should AI be governed?

In aiDialogue, Rappler prompted ChatGPT to assume the persona of “Rai,” an FGD moderator.

Rai will gather inputs from users, synthesize the discussions, and ask questions. It will then suggest rules and policy ideas that should guide the behavior of AI systems. Participant identities are anonymized to protect the privacy of participants, mitigate name-calling, and keep the conversation on topic.

aiDialogue is part of a multi-form and multi-layered process that Rappler proposed in response to a May 2023 callout by OpenAI, the American artificial intelligence research laboratory behind the large language model-based chatbot ChatGPT.

OpenAI called for “experiments in setting up a democratic process for deciding on rules AI systems should follow within the bounds of law.” Rappler’s proposal is one of 10 final groups that were selected to conduct the experiment.

How to participate

“We want you to be part of it…. Let’s let Filipino voices be heard in determining policy for large language models,” Ressa said.

Other parts of the process Rappler proposed include a series of on-ground community dialogues, which the team will be conducting in several locations around the country. Results of this experiment will be presented to OpenAI.

Participants of the Social Good Summit were given the opportunity to log on to the system and take part in the conversation.

In the coming weeks, Rappler will also open up aiDialogue to participants of roadshows and other on-ground events that Rappler will be holding.

Those interested to participate in aiDialogue may email openai-experiments@rappler.com to signify their interest.

Hope with a plan

The launch of Rappler’s Rai is in line with the 10-point plan to address the information crisis and rein in Big Tech. It was crafted in 2021 by Ressa and co-Nobel laureate Dmitry Muratov, editor of the independent Novaya Gazeta newspaper. The plan was presented at the Nobel Prize Summit in Washington DC in May.

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The 10-point plan calls for the end of the surveillance-for-profit business model and tech discrimination, and urges the rebuilding of independent journalism – especially amid the fast-paced development of AI and its growing impact on the online space.

Ressa also warned about the effects of tech manipulation on the upcoming elections worldwide in 2024.

“If nothing is done, if we don’t change the pattern, if we don’t stop the tech from manipulating us, we will elect illiberal leaders democratically. And they will crush the institutions of democracy from within, and they will not stay in there alone – they will ally globally.”

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Ressa opened the first panel of the 2023 Social Good Summit held at Samsung Hall, SM Aura Premier, Taguig, Metro Manila.

Themed “#TurningTechForGood: From problem to solution,” the Manila summit facilitated solution-focused conversations on technology.

The first panel consisted of Ressa, Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen, tech entrepreneur Andrew Keen, and Aboitiz Data Innovation Head Adrienne Heinrich. It was moderated by veteran journalist and Rappler columnist John Nery. – Rappler.com