Design sketches for a more sensible world

Abstract

Current trajectories in artificial intelligence development are marked by limited foresight and coordination, increasing the risk of suboptimal or catastrophic outcomes during the transition to advanced systems. Developing and deploying specialized AI tools to enhance human reasoning and strategic capacity offers a viable pathway toward a more controlled transition. These technologies function across several domains: collective epistemics, personalized decision support, strategic awareness, coordination, and assurance. Epistemic tools improve information integrity by tracking reliability and highlighting manipulative rhetoric. Personalized assistants, or “angels-on-the-shoulder,” help individuals align immediate actions with long-term values and interests. Strategic awareness is enhanced through automated superforecasting and scenario planning, providing a clearer understanding of global trends and risks. Coordination technologies facilitate faster negotiation and consensus-building among large groups, while assurance and privacy tools enable verifiable cooperation without compromising sensitive data. Together, these systems aim to replace haphazard progress with a structured framework for decision-making, allowing humanity to navigate the challenges of transformative technology with greater awareness and reduced susceptibility to unforced errors. – AI-generated abstract.