Helping People Know When AI Is Designed to Be Fair and Accountable
Author: Ricardo A. Barrera, Attorney at Law
Date of Publication: January 28, 2026
Artificial intelligence is now part of everyday life—helping people find information, make
decisions, and interact with digital systems. At the same time, many people worry about whether
AI is being used responsibly, transparently, and with respect for human dignity.
This framework offers a practical way to address those concerns by focusing on accountability,
not control.
Instead of trying to regulate what AI systems say or think, the framework proposes that
organizations clearly disclose how their AI is governed. This is done through an Ethical AI
Attestation—a structured declaration that shows an AI system follows a defined set of ethical
commitments, has been independently reviewed, is certified for specific uses, and can lose that
certification if standards are not maintained.
The framework also allows AI systems to recognize when other systems have made similar ethical
commitments, using a simple verification process that does not inspect private data or internal
technology. This helps promote responsible interaction between systems while keeping people in
control.
Most importantly, the framework emphasizes human-centered safeguards:
- Transparency about when AI is being used
- Limits on what AI is allowed to do
- Clear accountability when problems arise
- Respect for user choice and autonomy
This approach does not replace laws or regulations, and it does not give any single organization
control over AI. Instead, it provides a shared, verifiable way for people and institutions to know
when AI systems are designed with restraint, responsibility, and respect in mind.
Authorship and Intent
This document is published to establish conceptual prior art and to prevent proprietary capture
of governance-based ethical AI attestation and interoperability concepts. Implementation details,
enforcement mechanisms, and commercial considerations are intentionally excluded. Nothing
herein should be interpreted as legal advice, regulatory guidance, or a representation of
compliance with any specific jurisdictional requirement.
