Digital Humans

The final event of Project "Digital Humans," organised in collaboration with Intesa Sanpaolo, Tim Enterprise, and Google Cloud, as part of Project Opening Future was held on March 21 (9.30 to 10.30 am).

The meeting was hosted by Pierluigi Pisa, journalist, author, and content creator for La Repubblica and featured the participation of Alfonso Molina, Scientific Director of the Fondazione Mondo Digitale; Federico Aguggini, Head of AI Transformation - Data Science & Responsible AI; and Attilio Somma, Product Innovation & Centre of Excellence Lead at TIM Enterprise.

At the event, five students from the Piaget-Diaz school in Rome and the San Benedetto di Latina – Alexis, Noemi, Ylenia, Federica, and Maria – represented the over 800 students from Lombardy, Lazio, and Piedmont who participated in the initiative and presented the Charter of Rights to the partners.

The document, which was developed collaboratively by the students, following discussions with Fondazione Mondo Digitale coaches, is the result of the reflections and concerns expressed by the young men and women who welcomed the challenge launched by “Opening Future” with enthusiasm and curiosity and answered the following question: what human rights would like to be protected when interacting with digital humans, or artificial intelligence with humanoid features?

Notwithstanding the differences and distances between them, the students agreed on 10 fundamental points that are presented in the Charter:

1. Humanity at the Centre - Digital humans must be designed to be social allies who facilitate the progress of human activities (always ensuring well-being and health), without ever losing sight of the importance of human dignity and autonomy. They must operate as a support to humanity, improving quality of life without replacing it.
2. Against Prejudice - Digital humans must not reproduce stereotypes and prejudice, neither in appearance, nor in attitude, otherwise AI will just replicate clichés. Programming must be careful to employ diversified and transparent data, engaging in a continuous fight against overfitting and distorted algorithms, in order to create an AI that is the mirror of a fair and non-discriminatory society.
3. Security is not Negotiable – AI with humanoid semblances must be developed on rigorous security standards, tested extensively, and monitored constantly. Global normative should be drafted to guarantee that AI will only operate within safe and ethical boundaries. The future will require a “United Nations of Artificial Intelligence.”
4. Shared Responsibility – we ask all AI developers to undersign a rigorous ethical code, guaranteeing transparency and taking responsibility for their creations. Responsibility is a shared imperative, involving developers, governments, and AI users. 
5. Full control of digital identities – individuals must have full control on their personal information used by AI, including photographs, voice, and biographies. Informed consensus is fundamental to protect the dignity and autonomy of individuals. Every citizen must be adequately informed on the potential use of their photographs shared on the web and have the certainty that they will not be manipulated or used improperly.
6. Education is a Right – humans must be trained in critical thinking to interpret the content generated by AI. We all have – without distinction in terms of age – the duty and right to be informed and educated about how to interact with AI, especially when virtual assistants are so realistic they may generate confusion. 
7. Transparency is a Must – The use of AI must always be manifest and recognizable. If AI is an opportunity for humans, why hide it? We want transparency and traceability in the use of data so that the integrity and dignity of individuals will be safeguarded in the digital era.
8. Privacy-integrated Development - Privacy is an unalienable right and AI must protect it at all costs. Terms and conditions must be clear, informed consensus a priority, and the control of personal data must remain in the hands of the individual, not the algorithm.
9. Adoption of a Scientific Method – We must promote the adoption of transparent scientific practices, sharing data and code, enabling peer reviewing and collaboration amongst fields to ensure that AI with humanoid semblances will support and respect research and scientific integrity standards.
10. Safeguard of Human Dignity and Authenticity – It is essential that AI with humanoid semblances respect the dignity and authenticity of individuals. This means avoiding emotional manipulation, the creation of false reports, or the promotion of behaviour that could be detrimental to users. AI must be designed to promote genuine and respectful interaction, always recognising the centrality and unique nature of the human experience.

The meeting ended with a strong message from the students:

We are committed, as young guardians of tomorrow, to preserving these principles and supporting technological growth that celebrates, protects, and promotes humanity.

In a world where artificial intelligence will increasingly complement human activities, we ask that this become an extension of the values that make us human, and not a substitute.

HUMANITy is still our most loved word.