ABSTRACT
In light of the increased usage of artificial intelligence (AI) and a growing appreciation of its potential harms, there is a growing interest in investigating how alternative approaches to organizational ownership and governance may support the responsible development and use of AI. Cooperatives, in particular, have significant potential in this regard given their democratic ownership and governance. While limited research has been conducted to date at the nexus of cooperatives and AI, we lack an in-depth understanding of the role of cooperatives in governing AI systems as commons. Drawing on archival data, public communications, and published research, we analyze the case of READ-COOP’s Transkribus platform and its automated text recognition (ATR) models as a cultural commons. We use Elinor Ostrom’s eight principles of governing commons to suggest governance design principles for both Transkribus and future cooperatives seeking to run AI systems in a more responsible manner.
