The Demarest Lloyd Society

Manifesto

Now is the time for decisive action on artificial intelligence

While reasonable people of good intent may disagree, now is the time for decisive action on artificial intelligence. The Demarest Lloyd Society offers an actionable perspective, based on the following facts, opinions, and assumptions.

Part I

Facts

  1. A small number of firms dominate the market for AI. FTC, 2025

  2. Recent history has shown that when proprietary data accrues to early innovators, it leads to uncompetitive markets. Stigler Committee, 2019

  3. Overly consolidated markets (monopolies, duopolies) are not in the public interest. De Loecker, Eeckhout and Unger, 2020

  4. AI models are built from human work collected from the open web, and that commons is shrinking as publishers restrict access to it. Longpre et al., 2024

Part II

Assumptions

  1. Now is the time to act. AI will not proceed on the same timelines as previous innovations. If governments do not act now, circumstances will become increasingly difficult to improve.

  2. Complex regulation is untenable. If government is substantially involved in the market for AI, it will slow progress and create waste. Above all, it will dampen competition since smaller players are less likely to have the resources for compliance.

  3. Bans and restrictions will not work. AI is too fungible for outright bans to be effective as they have, for example, in nuclear engineering, human cloning, or dangerous pathogens.

  4. Competition and transparency are paramount. No entity, private or governmental, can reasonably be expected to steward AI for the overall benefit of the public. Transparency and intense industrial competition have the best track record of serving the public good where scientific breakthroughs are concerned.

  5. AI is the only solution for itself. While generally a force for progress, AI is a threat to humanity: economically, socially, and existentially. If only one government or firm could make bullets, there would be tyranny. If only one or a few could fly airplanes, there would be monopoly. The only solution is widespread access and enforced transparency.

Part III

Opinions

  1. State governance of AI should be limited. It should concern itself with just three matters: safety, fairness, and economic efficiency.

  2. Commons in, commons out is distinctly and clearly the best solution with regard to these matters. Read the rule.

While reasonable, well-intentioned people may disagree, this is the basis for the recommendations of the Demarest Lloyd Society.