Societal Capacity Assessment Framework: Measuring Advanced AI Implications for Vulnerability, Resilience, and Transformation

Milan M. Gandhi, Peter Cihon, Owen C. Larter, Rebecca Anselmetti

Keywords: societal resilience, risk assessment, deployment context, indicators framework, clarifying risks, adaptive capacity

TL;DR: The Societal Capacity Assessment Framework is a structured approach for evaluating societal readiness and resilience to advanced AI deployments, complementing model evaluations with critical context for risk assessment.

Abstract:

Risk assessments for advanced AI systems require evaluating both the models themselves and their deployment contexts. We introduce the Societal Capacity Assessment Framework (SCAF), an indicators-based approach to measuring a society’s vulnerability, resilience, and transformation potential in response to AI-related risks. SCAF adapts established resilience analysis methodologies to the AI context, enabling organisations to contextualise risk thresholds and deployment strategies based on societal readiness. It can also support stakeholders in identifying opportunities to strengthen societal adaptation to emerging AI capabilities and guide ecosystem monitoring. By
bridging disparate literatures and the “context gap” in AI evaluation, SCAF supports more holistic risk assessment and governance as advanced AI systems proliferate globally.

Submission Number: 55