About the Sarajevo Initiative

The Why of the Sarajevo Initiative

The world is facing multiple concurrent existential threats. These aren't isolated issues; they are deeply connected to modern technology, and now, they're being accelerated by Artificial Intelligence. The five most urgent threats are accelerating climate change, deepening social and political conflicts, the proliferation of nuclear and autonomous weapons, widespread disinformation, and an accelerating erosion of human agency. Each of these problems, individually and collectively, is on a path to significantly disrupt or destroy the foundations of human civilization.

AI is becoming a significant contributor to these problems. It requires massive computational resources, increasing electricity consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. It also intensifies political conflicts by fueling competition and undermining international cooperation. AI lowers the barriers to nuclear proliferation, undermines democratic institutions with disinformation, and threatens to displace human decision-making and labor. Without intervention, this trajectory could lead to societal collapse and a future where human values are sidelined.

The Sarajevo Initiative is being launched in the city of Sarajevo as a symbolic gesture of peace and rebuilding after the war. The city has a history of both great devastation and remarkable resilience, making it a powerful location to start a global movement dedicated to building a positive future for all societies. 

The initiative was initiated by Hardy F. Schloer, the Blum Institute, and Muhamed Ćatić, along with over 40 professionals in AI.

What We Are Doing

The Sarajevo Initiative is an activist response to protect our planet and all of its people. It's a movement dedicated to mitigating these existential threats. The core of our work is to address the global problems that, in their current state, cannot be stopped from leading to societal collapse.

We believe that while AI can accelerate these problems, it can also be managed to find solutions. Our mission is to promote the responsible use of AI for the benefit of all humanity. This involves advocating for stronger worldwide governance and immediate initiatives to counter the fractures caused by AI. We aim to ensure that AI development is guided by principles of respect, compassion, equality, and liberty for all life on Earth.

How You Can Help

Join us in our mission to create a positive future for all societies, regardless of nationality, race, or religion. The Sarajevo Initiative needs your support to bring about the change we need. By becoming a part of our movement, you can help us:

• Advocate for Global Governance: We need enforceable global AI standards and ethical frameworks to prevent reckless strategies and promote international collaboration on shared threats.
• Counter Disinformation: We will work to combat AI-generated falsehoods that are polarizing societies and undermining trust in legitimate sources and institutions.
• Safeguard Human Agency: We must ensure that technical and governance solutions are in place to prevent the irreversible "gradual disempowerment" of humanity.
• Prevent Catastrophic Escalation: We aim to reduce the risk of accidental or intentional conflicts fueled by autonomous and nuclear weapons.

Your involvement is crucial.

We are launching an online campaign for signatures to gather support from around the world.

Your signature will help us promote stronger global governance and immediate initiatives to address these AI-driven threats. 

By signing our online petition, you can be a part of the change for our collaborative future.