Jan 24, 2025
About the author
Adarsh Lathika explores how 'work' as we know will evolve in response to technology and how that will impact the relationship between employer & an employee. He is studying artificial intelligence, anthropology & neuroscience for its impact in positivity, productivity and wellbeing. He shares his understanding in the 'Anatomy of Work' LinkedIn newsletter.
The rise of generative AI (GenAI) has ushered in an era of unprecedented technological advancement, transforming industries and redefining the boundaries of human creativity. From crafting compelling marketing copy to generating novel software code, AI is rapidly becoming an indispensable tool across sectors. However, this rapid evolution brings with it a critical need for responsible AI development and deployment.
While regulatory bodies and industry associations are issuing guidelines for the ethical use of AI, a crucial element is often overlooked: proactive transparency and accountability through "AI Promise" statements. These statements, developed by organizations like AI Promise, are not merely about complying with regulations; they represent a proactive commitment to ethical AI practices, a pledge to consumers that their data is handled responsibly, and a demonstration of transparency in how AI is being used to shape products and services.
The Difference: Compliance vs. Commitment
Guidelines issued by entities like the French Cybersecurity Agency (ANSSI) and the German Federal Office for Information Security (BSI), as outlined in their report on secure use of AI coding assistants, provide crucial frameworks for responsible AI development.
They emphasize the importance of risk assessment, human oversight, and the need to address vulnerabilities like data leakage and code quality issues. These guidelines are prescriptive, telling organizations how they should use AI.
The Australian Voluntary AI Safety Standard takes a similar approach, offering 10 voluntary guardrails for organizations to follow. These guardrails cover a wide range of issues, including risk management, data governance, human oversight, and transparency. While voluntary, they serve as a valuable guide for organizations and provide a framework for future legislation on mandatory guardrails.
NASSCOM, the premier trade body for the Indian IT industry, has also released guidelines for the responsible research, development, and use of GenAI technologies. These guidelines emphasize the need for stakeholder cooperation to ensure the safe and ethical adoption of GenAI, addressing potential societal harms such as misinformation, intellectual property infringement, privacy violations, and biases.
They outline obligations for researchers, developers, and users, including the need to conduct comprehensive risk assessments, ensure transparency about data and algorithms, and mitigate harmful biases.
These guidelines and standards, while crucial, primarily focus on compliance. AI Promise statements, on the other hand, shift the focus from compliance to commitment. They are not just about adhering to external regulations; they are about proactively demonstrating a commitment to ethical AI principles within the organization.
For example, instead of simply complying with data privacy regulations, an organization might state: "We ensure Privacy by Design as a mandatory process and culture in every aspect of our tech process, aligning with AI ethical principles and our own internal AI policy governance framework," echoing the emphasis on proactive data privacy measures highlighted in the NASSCOM guidelines.
This statement goes beyond mere compliance; it demonstrates a proactive commitment to data privacy as a core organizational value.
The Importance of AI Promise Statements
Building Consumer Trust
AI Promise statements foster trust between organizations and consumers. By openly communicating their ethical AI practices, organizations demonstrate transparency and accountability, reassuring consumers that their data is being handled responsibly and that their interests are being considered. For instance, by stating that they "use sufficiently representative datasets to minimize the risk of unfair biases," organizations demonstrate a commitment to fairness and equity, aligning with the NASSCOM guidelines that emphasize the need to mitigate harmful biases.
Differentiating from Competitors
In an increasingly competitive market, organizations that prioritize ethical AI practices can gain a significant competitive advantage. Consumers are increasingly conscious of the ethical implications of the technologies they use. By publicly demonstrating their commitment to responsible AI, organizations can differentiate themselves from competitors and attract a more loyal and engaged customer base.
Driving Internal Change
The process of developing and publicly endorsing AI Promise statements can act as a catalyst for internal change. It forces organizations to critically examine their AI practices, identify potential risks and biases, and implement measures to mitigate them. This internal reflection can lead to significant improvements in the organization's overall AI strategy.
Fostering a Culture of Responsible AI
By publicly committing to ethical AI practices, organizations can foster a culture of responsibility and accountability within their own organizations. This can encourage employees at all levels to consider the ethical implications of their work and strive to develop and deploy AI systems that are fair, transparent, and beneficial to society.

AI Promise statements represent a crucial step towards building that trust. By proactively communicating their commitment to ethical AI practices, organizations can not only navigate the challenges of the AI era but also contribute to the development of a more just, equitable, and human-centered AI future.
‘AI Promise’ under People+ai has developed a set of statements that organizations can adopt, endorse and declare to its customers on how they are using trustworthy AI technologies to build new products and services, improve processes and increase customer interaction.
You can share your views on them by responding to this short survey