Directly Responsible Individuals (DRI)

Simon Willison · 3 days ago

The article examines the concept of Directly Responsible Individuals (DRI), a management practice originating at Apple that designates one person as ultimately accountable for a project's success or failure. The author argues that AI agents should never serve as DRIs because machines cannot take accountability for their actions, citing IBM's 1979 principle that computers cannot be held responsible and therefore should not make management decisions. This distinction means human oversight and accountability must remain central to organizational decision-making even as AI systems become more capable.