Does AI need guardrails?

Purpose As the realm of artificial intelligence (AI) expands, its societal implications soar. Today, society actively debates its rollout – yet such discourse often permeates news articles and social media unobjectively and without rigorous peer review. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the most pressing concerns associated with AI development and deployment. Design/methodology/approach This paper proposes a tripartite framework as a strategic guide and guardrail for AI’s evolution. Findings This robust framework addresses challenges, mitigates potential risks and harnesses AI opportunities for our shared future. Originality/value A policy-techno-legal framework for understanding key AI challenges and foundations for building AI guardrails.