Governments, businesses and communities need to create policies that not only regulate AI but also respect individual freedoms. People should have the option to live without AI, without facing discrimination or exclusion from essential services.
AI decision making also needs to be more transparent. Whether it’s automated hiring, healthcare or financial services, AI should be understandable, accountable and open to scrutiny. No longer can we allow these systems to operate behind closed doors, making decisions that affect people’s lives with no recourse for the individuals involved.
Finally, society must invest in digital literacy. Everyone should understand the systems that impact their lives and have the tools to challenge them when necessary. Ensuring people know how to navigate and control the technologies that shape their world is essential in maintaining freedom in the digital age.
An urgent question
Some may ask, why not just add a kill switch to AI and shut it down if needed? But once AI is woven into crucial systems such as healthcare, transport or communication, it’s no longer something we can simply turn off.
Like electricity or the internet, it becomes a core part of modern life, not easily reversible without major disruption.
So as AI spreads further into every corner of our lives, we must urgently ask: will we still have the freedom to say no?
If we don’t act now to protect the right to choose, we risk a future where personal autonomy is compromised, and the influence of AI goes unchecked. The question isn’t whether we can live with AI but whether we will still have the right to live without it.
Story: Dr James Kang, senior lecturer in Computer Science, School of Science, Engineering and Technology, RMIT University Vietnam
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