humansover

Humansover is a term used in discussions of technology ethics to describe a stance that prioritizes human agency and welfare over automated efficiency, optimization, or algorithmic control. It is typically invoked in debates about artificial intelligence, surveillance, and labor automation to argue that human oversight and consent should guide technological deployment.

Origin and usage: The term appears in late 2010s and early 2020s discourse, primarily in academic, policy, and advocacy circles. It is not a formal doctrine but a recurring label for a set of related concerns about preserving human-centered values in design and governance.

Principles: Key tenets include meaningful human control, informed consent, privacy protection, transparency about data use, accountability for systems and operators, and the avoidance of abuses such as coercion or manipulation. It also emphasizes human-centric design, equitable access, and safety.

Applications and debates: Proponents argue for human-in-the-loop decision making, opt-out options for automated systems, and robust oversight mechanisms. Critics contend the term can be vague and may conflict with efficiency goals or innovation, while some see it as aspirational rhetoric rather than practicable policy.

See also: human-in-the-loop, human-centered design, responsible AI, AI ethics, digital rights.