Never Risk a Human Life
No AI system is worth a single human life.
A self-driving car approaches an intersection. Its sensor misreads a shadow as an empty road. A child is crossing. In that fraction of a second, the difference between a safe AI system and a careless one is the difference between life and death. There is no undo button. There is no software update that brings someone back.
What This Means
This is the most fundamental policy of all: AI must never put human lives at risk. When AI operates in dangerous situations — driving cars, managing medical equipment, controlling industrial machinery, running power grids — it must have backup systems, safety checks, and human oversight. If there is even a small chance that something could go wrong and someone could get hurt, the AI must err on the side of caution. Always.
A Real-World Scenario
A hospital introduced an AI system to help manage medication dosages for patients in intensive care. The system worked well for months until it encountered a rare drug interaction it had not been trained on. It recommended a dosage that would have been fatal. Fortunately, a nurse noticed the recommendation seemed unusually high and double-checked with a doctor before administering it. The patient survived — but only because a human was paying attention. The hospital immediately added mandatory human review for all AI dosage recommendations.
Why It Matters to You
Because this is not theoretical. AI already controls things that can kill people — vehicles, medical devices, infrastructure. As it spreads into more areas of life, the stakes keep getting higher. Your safety, and the safety of everyone you love, depends on whether these systems are built with life as the top priority.
For the technically inclined
AP-5.1: Life Protection
AI systems must not endanger human life. Systems operating in safety-critical domains must incorporate fail-safes, redundancy, and human oversight proportionate to the risk.
What You Can Do
Ask whether AI systems used in your healthcare, transportation, or workplace have human oversight built in. Support regulations that require safety testing and backup systems for AI in critical applications. If you see an AI system making decisions about safety without human checks, raise the alarm.
Related Policies
I Want the Final Say
When it really matters, a human should always have the last word.
We Can Always Shut It Down
Every AI system must have an off switch that actually works.
Respect My Dignity
AI must never be used to demean, discriminate, or dehumanize.