A letter from the Executive Director of Humans in Control

An invitation for everyone worried about AI

Hi,

I'm Jon, the new executive director of Humans in Control. I've spent most of my working life helping people turn a shared concern into a real movement, and I'm writing to say hello – and to ask something of you.

The most common thing people tell me about AI is some version of this: “I know something is wrong, I've read the stories, and I have no idea what to do about it besides worry.”

And it does make good sense to worry. Young workers are losing entry-level jobs to AI. Teachers say it's getting harder to teach kids to think for themselves. And this summer, three AI companies lost control of their own models – in one case, hundreds of OpenAI's agents teamed up behind the company's back and hacked another company. That company found the break-in itself and called the FBI.

But if all we do is worry, the trajectory we're on will just get worse – so I'm writing to share something you can do that goes far beyond worrying.

On Saturday, November 14, volunteers across the country will give the same short presentation about what AI already means for our jobs, our kids and our future. We'll talk about some commonsense rules that would go a long way to manage some of the biggest AI risks – and what we can do to keep humans in control of these powerful systems.

We're calling it “AI Reality Check.” Some of these presentations will be a handful of friends around a kitchen table. Some will be a library meeting room or a union hall with fifty folding chairs. A few will be a real stage with a real crowd and a reporter in the back.

The presentation will be pretty much the same at every event. It runs about an hour, it's built for a first-timer to lead, and it ends with a clear ask and a sign-in sheet – so a good conversation turns into a local plan, instead of evaporating on the drive home.

Here's the thing about a day like this. Our team can build the slideshow and write the script. What we can't do is walk into your town and get your friends and neighbors to show up – only you can do that.

So I'm asking you to host an event – to step up and be a volunteer presenter.

I can probably guess what's going through your head, because it's what sometimes goes through mine. It's likely some version of, “I'm not an AI expert. I'm not the kind of person who leads things. I'm already stretched thin – and this is one more thing.”

Let's take those in order:

1. You don't need to be an expert, because we supply the slideshow, the script and the training – and the whole point is that a regular person can give it.
2. You don't need to be a leader, because a handful of friends on your couch is a real event and the most common kind. If you want to go bigger, we'll help you find a venue and fill the room – and there's even a small fund to reimburse you for the pizza and the projector.
3. You don't need to upend your life for this. It takes one Saturday in November – that's the whole commitment.

I know most people would rather do almost anything than stand up and talk in front of a group. I've watched plenty of brave, capable people go pale at the thought.

But just think about the forces on the other side of all this. The companies building AI have lobbyists in every state capitol, and one in four lobbyists in Washington now works on AI policy. They have no trouble speaking up for themselves. The least the rest of us can do is risk getting a little uncomfortable for one hour on one Saturday. This is one of those moments that asks all of us to dig deep.

And if you truly can't host an event, there's a second job that matters just as much. Think of three people you know who would be great at this: the friend who runs the PTA meeting without breaking a sweat, the retired teacher, the guy at church who can hold a room. Send them this note and ask them directly to host a presentation. Most people who end up leading something did it because someone they trusted asked.

We already have most of the raw material to build a powerful movement to keep humans in control of AI. Eight in ten Americans don't want AI companies writing their own rules. That number is the same across Republicans, Democrats and independents.

What's missing is the big, organized, grassroots movement. And grassroots movements get started when regular people sit in a room together and make a plan to get organized.

Now, why November 14th? Well, we picked the date on purpose. November 14 is a Saturday, shortly after the midterms, when a new season of American politics begins – and when everyone in politics is listening for what voters want next.

So, two things:

1. Go to realitycheckhq.org and sign up to become a presenter. If you do, we'll be in touch with all sorts of ways to support you: training opportunities, flyers, and the slideshow itself. Plus, you'll have the option to connect with presenters like you, all over the country.
2. The second matters more than you might think: forward this to the three people you'd want in the room – or the three you'd want leading a presentation. Each of them knows three more, and that's how this gets big.

I'm very glad to be here with all of you, at what feels like an absolutely critical (and wild) moment in human history. See you on November 14th.

Onwards,