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BearNetAI’s Mission, Core Values, and Position on AI

Welcome to a special edition of the BearNetAI BLOG. This is a bit longer than our usual Bytes-to-Insights segments, but for good reason.

Over the past few months, I’ve received 28 insightful questions (so far!) focused on three interconnected topics: BearNetAI’s mission, our core values, and our stance on artificial intelligence.

When I founded BearNetAI at the start of 2024, I had a clear vision of these concepts — at least in my head. But they hadn’t been fully formalized, and at the time, I didn’t see an immediate need to write them down. My primary goal was simple: to educate everyday people about AI while having some fun along the way.

What I’ve learned since then is that the BearNetAI community is highly intelligent and holds ethics, authenticity, and transparency in the highest regard. You all have a strong moral compass, and I deeply respect that.

I trust the wisdom of this community, which I consider my de facto board of advisors. If these are the questions you’re asking, then they’re clearly important enough for me to answer.

So today, let’s lay out BearNetAI’s mission, core values, and our position on artificial intelligence.

BearNetAI’s mission is to simplify the complex world of artificial intelligence and empower individuals with the knowledge and insights needed to better understand how AI can serve humanity’s best interests, contributing to societal well-being and the greater good. This is the primary reason for our existence and our ultimate goal. Clarity in this mission is important not only to me but also to you, as it serves as a guiding star for decision-making and strategic direction.

Our Core Values are Privacy-First Transparency, Integrity-Driven Advocacy, Empowerment Through Knowledge, Community-Centric Innovation, Ethical Stewardship, and Curiosity-Driven Exploration. These core values define the ethical and philosophical principles that guide how BearNetAI operates. They shape our decisions, behaviors, and culture, serving as the standards BearNetAI upholds in our interactions with partners, the community, and society at large.

BearNetAI’s Position on Artificial Intelligence exists to clearly define where we stand on critical issues in the AI landscape. It articulates what BearNetAI supports in terms of AI development, ethics, and societal impact. We focus on five key areas: Ethical AI and Advocacy, Social Impact, Risk Mitigation and Thought Leadership, Advocacy and Policy, and Values of Integrity.

These are detailed as follows:

Ethical AI and Advocacy: BearNetAI emphasizes integrity-driven advocacy and privacy-first transparency. We accept no advertising, ensuring that such advertising does not influence our content and promotes informed decision-making in AI. Our focus is on public awareness and transparency. We seek to demystify AI and empower individuals with the knowledge to make informed decisions about its use and impact.

Social Impact: BearNetAI’s goal in simplifying AI concepts and making them accessible is to raise public awareness of AI’s societal implications. We care about AI’s long-term societal impact, particularly its role in balancing technological advancements and societal well-being. We prioritize responsible AI, ensuring it serves humanity rather than posing unnecessary risks.

Risk Mitigation and Thought Leadership: BearNetAI focuses more on AI education and ethical considerations in applying AI, contrasted with an emphasis on mitigating existential risks from advanced technologies. While BearNetAI’s content might not directly address existential risks, our ethical stance resonates with a vision of promoting safe, beneficial technology for current and future generations.

Advocacy and Policy: At this time, BearNetAI does not engage in policy discussions and AI safety frameworks but does serve as a knowledge hub that could, in the future, influence thought leadership and advocate for AI governance. Presently, we are committed to AI education and leave open the possibility that this could evolve into more active roles in advocacy and policy.

Values of Integrity: BearNetAI’s core values — privacy-first transparency and integrity-driven advocacy — are deeply aligned with an ethos of ensuring that technology development is in humanity’s best interests, promoting honest communication, and avoiding conflicts of interest that could compromise ethical standards.

Together, our Mission Statement, Core Values, and Position Statement give BearNetAI a strong identity, clear purpose, and solid ethical foundation. They guide our strategic decisions, attract a community that shares our values, and reinforce our commitment to transparency, ethical advocacy, and empowering individuals with knowledge about AI.

Thank you for your thoughtful questions and for guiding us toward this formal articulation of who we are, what we do, and why we do it.

Join Us Towards a Greater Understanding of AI

By following us and sharing our content, you’re not just spreading awareness but also playing a crucial role in demystifying AI. Your insights, questions, and suggestions make this community vibrant and engaging. We’re eager to hear your thoughts on topics you’re curious about or wish to delve deeper into. Together, we can make AI accessible and engaging for everyone. Let’s continue this journey towards a better understanding of AI. Please share your thoughts with us via email: marty@bearnetai.com, and don’t forget to follow and share BearNetAI with others who might also benefit from it. Your support makes all the difference.

Thank you for being a part of this fascinating journey.

Bear Net AI is a proud member of the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence, and a signatory to the Asilomar AI Principles, dedicated to the responsible and ethical development of AI.

BearNetAI. From Bytes to Insights. AI Simplified.