Image: Getty Images/ For illustrative purposes
Dubai has unveiled a global classification system aimed at distinguishing the role of humans and intelligent machines in the creation of research, academic, creative and scientific content, in a move that sets a precedent amid the growing use of AI and automation in content production.
The Human–Machine Collaboration (HMC) classification system, developed by the Dubai Future Foundation, was approved by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE, and Chairman of the Foundation’s Board of Trustees.
“Distinguishing between human creativity and artificial intelligence has become a real challenge in light of today’s rapid technological advances,” Sheikh Hamdan said. “That’s why we launched the world’s first Human–Machine Collaboration Icons, a classification system that brings transparency to how research documents, publications, and content are created.”
He called on researchers, writers, designers, and publishers globally to adopt the system “responsibly and in ways that benefit people.”
Sheikh Hamdan also directed all Dubai Government entities to start using the system in their research and knowledge-based work.
Human–Machine Collaboration classification for AI-generated content
The classification introduces five main icons reflecting varying levels of collaboration:
All Human: No machine involvement.
Human led: Human-created content enhanced or checked by machines.
Machine assisted: Collaborative iteration between human and machine.
Machine led: Machine-generated content reviewed by humans.
All Machine: Fully machine-generated with no human input.
It also includes nine function-based icons to indicate where machine interaction occurred — from ideation and data analysis to visuals and design.
While it does not quantify the percentage of machine involvement, the system aims to promote disclosure and encourage content creators to self-identify the nature of collaboration involved.
According to the Dubai Future Foundation, the icons can be used across sectors and formats, including images and videos, and are intended to help audiences better understand the origins of the content they consume.
Read: Why the Turing Test is still the best benchmark to assess AI
