From smartphones that seamlessly connect with Bluetooth-enabled gadgets, to shipping containers that move effortlessly from trucks to trains to ships, to electrical plugs that fit into any socket—these conveniences we often overlook are made possible by the silent architects of progress: technical standards.
Historically, standards have fallen into two broad categories: technical and social.
Social standards address issues like transparency, explainability, accountability, fairness, security, safety, and human-centered values.
Technical standards tackle technical challenges and the need for consistency and reliability by providing guidelines, conditions, and characteristics for manufacturing products or following processes.
With the rise of AI and its growing influence on various aspects of our lives—including privacy, infrastructure, cultural norms, and the economy—there is a clear need for a new kind of standard: socio-technical standards. Designed to bridge the gap between technical and social domains, these standards ensure that emerging technologies are not only technically sound but also socially beneficial and aligned with societal norms and values.
In 2020, the Spatial Web Foundation partnered with the IEEE to lead the development of advanced socio-technical standards and protocols. The Spatial Web Protocol, Architecture, and Governance Working Group (IEEE P2874 Standard) includes members from academia, government, and various industries.
