Technology must know its limits
This chapter establishes technological humility: data is incomplete, inference can fail, and responsible AI must state what it does not know.
A philosophy of people, work and technology
Technology must know its limits before it expands its power
Responsible technology begins not only with capability, but with what it cannot know, whom it may harm and what power follows when people trust its outputs.
More data does not automatically create deeper understanding.
More data does not automatically create deeper understanding.
Data is a trace of the world, not the whole world
Digital records contain only what was captured. They omit unrecorded care, unavailable opportunities and abilities that never had a chance to appear.
Absence of evidence must not become evidence of absence.
Absence of evidence must not become evidence of absence.
An inference may be reasonable and still be wrong about a person
A pattern may be valid for many people and still misread the individual in front of the system.
Career gaps, changes of field and low online visibility are signals, not conclusions.
Career gaps, changes of field and low online visibility are signals, not conclusions.
Uncertainty must be visible, not hidden
A dangerous system may be one that presents uncertainty with excessive confidence.
Forwork must show sources, missing information and confidence, and be willing to say: the system does not know.
Forwork must show sources, missing information and confidence, and be willing to say: the system does not know.
People need explanation, response and appeal
When analysis affects opportunity, the person needs an understandable reason and a real path to respond.
Correction, context, review and human judgment must remain available.
Correction, context, review and human judgment must remain available.
What can be collected should not automatically be collected
Every collected field creates power, protection duties and the possibility of reuse beyond its original purpose.
Collect only what is necessary, explain why and allow withdrawal.
Collect only what is necessary, explain why and allow withdrawal.
Humility must become product architecture
Humility must appear in architecture: sourced claims, separated inference, version history, undo and limits on full automation.
Every AI feature should make error visible and correctable.
Every AI feature should make error visible and correctable.
Forwork does not seek an AI that knows everything, but one that knows what it does not know
Forwork does not claim that AI can fully understand a person.
Its eighth commitment is to build technology that names uncertainty and preserves human authority.
Its eighth commitment is to build technology that names uncertainty and preserves human authority.