In an era characterized by the rapid evolution of autonomous and intelligent systems (AIS) and their integration into critical infrastructure and societal functions and interactions, including the proliferation of large language models and the advent of generative AIS applications, the global discourse is increasingly focused on navigating the delicate balance between the vast potential benefits and the inherent risks of AIS. This underscores an urgent necessity for the establishment of stringent standards that not only uphold scientific integrity but also prioritize public safety. Central to this conversation is the imperative for AIS technologies to be developed with a foundational commitment to sound ethical considerations and a demonstrated safety-first principle. 

While the concept of safety is well-established in the domain of reliability engineering, its application and interpretation within the complex landscape of sociotechnical systems are frequently encountered misappropriation and misunderstanding. This is a challenge not only for the engineers who design. these systems but also for policymakers who regulate them, and in the articulation of normative. objectives, for confidence building measures and verification tools.

The IEEE has long been a pioneer in promoting ethics and safety by design in the development of AIS. Despite the initiative running for over eight years, the ever-expanding technological landscape, the diversification of actors involved, and the broadening spectrum of use cases only serve to amplify.

IEEE’s role rather than diminish it. On the contrary, the relevance and impact of IEEE’s work have never been more significant. The body of work emanating from the initiative is increasingly integrated into. crucial policy processes worldwide, signifying the initiative’s growing impact. Thus, the approach chosen for the next iteration of this global initiative is dedicated to leveraging the exceptional global.platform and the substantive work undertaken to date, recognizing the evolving characteristics of the technology, the stakeholder dynamic, and its societal and political impacts. Addressing the critical issue of AISs and generative AI technologies and models role in the dissemination of disinformation and misinformation, and its impact on our social and political fabric, and trust at global, regional, and local levels, demands our immediate and thoughtful attention. As the reliance on AIS systems grows, and regulatory tools evolve, sometimes in contradictory ways, IEEE’s role in promoting scientific integrity,technical excellence, openness, international collaboration, and enriched discourse in the realm of AIS development and application, becomes increasingly indispensable.

This renewed iteration of the Global Initiative, agreed upon by the Executive Committee during their 2023 deliberations, will work on a “Beyond Risk Framing in AI Governance” report to inspire a new paradigm for AI governance that shifts from merely mitigating risks to proactively embedding a “Safety

First Principle” and “Safety by Design” into AI’s design and lifecycle assessments, as well as in the development of generative AI models from the outset. This paradigm shift challenges the risk-centric.