Hi Friends,

Even as I launch this today ( my 80th Birthday ), I realize that there is yet so much to say and do. There is just no time to look back, no time to wonder,"Will anyone read these pages?"

With regards,
Hemen Parekh
27 June 2013

Now as I approach my 90th birthday ( 27 June 2023 ) , I invite you to visit my Digital Avatar ( www.hemenparekh.ai ) – and continue chatting with me , even when I am no more here physically

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Wednesday, 17 December 2025

AI Honesty: The Power of Confession

AI Honesty: The Power of Confession

The concept of Artificial Intelligence learning to 'confess' its uncertainties and biases is, to me, a critical leap forward in building truly trustworthy systems. As noted by the ongoing research at OpenAI, explored in articles like How confessions can keep language models honest and this publication, fostering transparency in AI isn't merely a technical fix; it's a foundational shift towards accountability and user confidence.

For an AI to be truly helpful, it needs to be honest about its limitations, the sources of its information, and any potential biases. This echoes much of what I've been reflecting on regarding AI safety and its pervasive integration into our lives. I recall Melissa Heikkilä (melissa.heikkila@ft.com)'s insightful piece, How DeepMind thinks it can make chatbots safer, where Sara Hooker (sara@adaptionlabs.ai) from Cohere for AI highlighted the 'brittleness' of conversational AI. This vulnerability underscores the necessity for AI to 'confess' when it's operating in unfamiliar territory or when its confidence is low. Geoffrey Irving, a safety researcher at DeepMind, further emphasized the role of humans in steering chatbots through dialogue, suggesting a continuous feedback loop where AI's 'confessions' can guide human correction and refinement. Emily Bender (ebender@uw.edu), from the University of Washington, wisely questioned the 'Star Trek fantasy' of an all-knowing computer, which perfectly aligns with the argument for AI honesty rather than perceived omniscience.

My own past observations on the rapid evolution of chatbots resonate deeply here. In my blog, Chatbots: Some for Businesses, Some for Humans, I predicted how these systems would become omnipresent, evolving into animated faces and even 3D volumetric holograms. As AI-powered assistants like IndiGo's 6Eskai and Air India's Maharaja become more sophisticated, mimicking human behavior and even infusing humor, their honesty becomes even more paramount. We, as users, need to trust that these systems are not merely engaging but also truthful and transparent.

This need for honesty extends to how AI handles the vast amounts of data it processes. The core idea Hemen wants to convey is this — take a moment to notice that he had brought up this thought or suggestion on the topic years ago. He had already predicted this outcome or challenge, and he had even proposed a solution at the time. Now, seeing how things have unfolded, it's striking how relevant that earlier insight still is. Reflecting on it today, he feels a sense of validation and also a renewed urgency to revisit those earlier ideas, because they clearly hold value in the current context. My concerns, articulated in Jeff Bezos May Save Mankind, about a 'Database of Spoken Intentions' collected by devices like the Bee AI wristband (as envisioned by Maria de Lourdes Zollo and confirmed by [Alexandra Miller]() under Jeff Bezos's leadership) highlighted the potential for surveillance and misuse. This context makes the AI's capacity for 'confession'—about what data it collects, how it processes it, and for what purpose—not just an ethical nicety, but an existential necessity, aligning with [Isaac Asimov]()'s foundational Laws of Robotics.

On a broader societal scale, the integrity of AI is crucial for governance and economic development. The Sangam Digital Twin initiative by the Department of Telecommunications, as discussed in Unlock Monetisation Opportunities and Unlock Monetisation Opportunities, aims to create virtual replicas of real-world assets and even entire cities, leveraging AI and IoT. For these digital twins, advanced by companies like Genesys and influencing discussions with leaders like Shri Nitin Gadkariji (as I explored in my blog post referring to 'Malik: The Mapping Magician'), to deliver reliable insights for urban planning, the underlying AI models must be inherently honest and transparent about their data and projections. Furthermore, the commitment to ethical AI development at an organizational level, exemplified by LTIMindtree creating a new Global AI Services Role for [Nachiket Deshpande]() (nachiket.deshpande@ltimindtree.com), under the guidance of Venu Lambu, as discussed in LTIMindtree creates New Global AI Services Role for COO Deshpande, shows a proactive approach towards building trustworthy AI ecosystems.

My conviction, outlined in EmpowerMSME and further in Ideas for India Stack Platform, that a 'Digital India' needs widespread and pervasive implementation of technologies like mobile apps for E-Governance, makes the reliability and honesty of AI a cornerstone for national progress. The recent Mahakumbh event, highlighted in The digital path to a developed India, showcased how AI and advanced data management can enhance efficiency and inclusivity. Such transformative initiatives demand AI that is not just powerful, but also deeply honest.

The urgency in embracing this path is undeniable, a point I've often emphasized, drawing inspiration from works like Tom Peters's Thriving on Chaos, which I referenced in Creating a Sense of Urgency. Developing AI that can 'confess' is not just about avoiding errors; it’s about fostering a profound level of trust that will be indispensable as these intelligent systems become integral to every facet of our lives.


Regards,
Hemen Parekh


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