Before we trust AI, we must trust each other

LettersBefore we trust AI, we must trust each other

Readers discuss the artificial intelligence race, and putting people first in mental health decision-making

Automation is rewriting the social contract. When algorithmic systems determine outcomes such as mortgage approval or judicial sentencing, they introduce asymmetric power dynamics. The design of these systems keeps their underlying logic hidden behind corporate confidentiality. The result is a dangerous new kind of bureaucracy where life-altering decisions cannot be transparently challenged or appealed.

This indistinctness also affects public discourse where people confuse human free speech with automated amplification. Social media platforms often rely on free speech protections to defend recommendation engines optimised for advertising engagement, but algorithmic code holds no constitutional rights. That’s why regulation should focus less on what is said and more on how it’s shared, especially by limiting automated processes that can turn fringe grievances into widespread issues.