Foundation/AI

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Mozilla has decided to focus on ‘better machine decision making’ as an ‘impact goal’ that will inform internet health fellowships, campaigns and thought leadership work in the internet health movement over the coming years.

The aim is to have a thematic goal with a clear theory of change that Mozilla and its allies can go after in a distributed, decentralized manner -- but with clear markers and milestones that allow everyone to see progress. This goal will build on the “your data and you” theme that Mozilla used in 2018. As with that theme, ~60% of Mozilla’s movement building program resources will go towards one goal over the next few years.

This wiki is meant to house Mozilla's up-to-date thinking and will be regularly updated. What follows is a list of the key documents that inform this thinking as well as the why, what and how of following through on it.

Project documentation

These documents provide the underlying thinking about better machine decision making as a core issue and maps activities in 2019 that will track against this issue.

Posts and articles

As a part of this work, Mozilla has been sharing thinking as it develops -- through blogs and in the media. Others are invited to share their perspectives on this issue as well.

Active Projects

Some examples of activities in this space include:

You can read more about these projects and more here.

Process and project management

These documents are process based and help share the story of how Mozilla got to this goal and why.

You can read more about the background for this project here.

Sub things might be: - how we got to this focus - impact goal 2019 project timeline

Why

Artificial intelligence (AI) has long occupied an outsized role in our collective imagination, in everything from pulp science fiction novels to James Cameron blockbusters. Perhaps humankind is moving toward an oppressive artificial superintelligence. In the meantime, artificial intelligence is already woven into our everyday lives. It provides us with things we love and need, from productivity advice to movie recommendations. Yet, when we don't carefully consider its impact on our democracies, our justice systems and our well-being, we open ourselves up to real risks.

Mozilla seeks to be a part of this careful consideration. The last three years have been about creating a solid foundation of work - defining the internet health frame, clear program offerings, and an effective planning/execution process. With that work nearing completion, it is time to point Mozilla's resources at answering the question, "What concrete improvements to the health of the internet do we want to make over the next 3-5 years?"

Based on extensive engagement with staff, allies, experts and the board, it has been decided that ‘better machine decision making’ is the area to focus on. This goal was chosen because of the belief that it can:

  • Leverage the ‘agenda setting’ influence by asking tough questions about AI and adding nuance and specificity to the public debate.
  • Focus work in an area of further impact, leveraging the work started across all program areas over the past three years.
  • Increase the number and quality of collaborations across Mozilla and the internet health movement by helping define specific areas to work with others to have impact.
  • Help reach more people through messages and calls to action by increasing the clarity, specificity and relevance of the messages.
  • Offer clear milestones and outputs to measure and report out on progress against the intended impact along the way.

What

In the first phase, we explored a wide range of potential impact goals through staff engagement, external interviews and board discussions. Further information on Phase One is available below and through the key documents links.

Phase two of the impact project is designed to drive towards more specificity around the work and outcomes we’ll take on in pursuit of this goal.

The goals of phase two are as follows:

  • Build on efforts already underway by staff and partners within the internet health movement.
  • Clearly define the kind of impact we want to have over the coming years with a compelling sketch in early Q1 and an updated theory of change in Q2.
  • Refine the language around ‘better machine decision making,’ crafting a compelling, specific vision of an alternative, positive future.
  • Identify key partners and allies to work with on this topic, and start to define shared outcomes and projects that we can pursue together in H2.
  • Provide the raw material for initial public messaging about ‘better machine decision making,’with the aim of communicating on this issue starting in Q1.

We will go after these goals in an open and collaborative manner, engaging staff, allies, partners and supporters as we define the issues we’ll focus on over the coming years -- and, of course looking for ways to advance the work together as we put this focus into action.

Open Collaboration

More to come on this section in March

Timeline

Q3 2018
  • Draft 5-10 impact statements and criteria
  • Staff input & additions to existing impact statements and criteria
  • Strategy Retreat participants begin deeper analysis
  • External partners provide additional ideas and input on impact goals
Q4 2018
  • Draft short analysis for each impact goal
  • MozFest session, displays, and meetings to solicit feedback and ideas from our community
  • Review & discuss process and progress with MoFo board program committee
  • Meet with additional internal/external partners and community members for feedback
  • Exec team reviews final analyses; makes decision re: recommendation
  • Discuss & get feedback during board meeting (Nov 15)
  • Staff and fellows engage with impact goal at All Hands
Q1 2019
  • Launch expert interviews
  • Begin literature review
  • Document existing & planned work around machine decision making
  • Develop comms & engagement strategy for staff, partners, and public
  • Complete literature review and identify gaps in understanding requiring additional research and/or commissioned reports
  • Continue expert interviews
  • Share updated issue summary, lit review and current/planned work with board
  • Coding, analysis and synthesis of expert interviews
  • Synthesize list of possible better machine decision making outcomes, based on interviews, literature reviews & convenings
Q2 2019
  • Gather input and feedback with staff, experts, and allies around high-potential outcomes for Theory of Change
  • Continue public and partner communication about process, learnings and opportunities to engage
  • Finalize 1-3 long-term outcomes for machine decision making for the theory of change overlay
  • Fully introduce impact goal theory of change overlay with staff at All Hands
  • Begin to map out use for 2020 planning
  • Share impact goal theory with board
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