Payson R Stevens

Payson R. Stevens is the author of Before AI Decides: Nine Ways to Stay Human, a widely discussed book on artificial intelligence, human judgment, AI ethics, and digital accountability.

In February 2026, his essay calling for an AI Bill of Rights was published on Yahoo News under the Katie Couric Media banner, helping advance the public conversation about responsible AI governance, algorithmic transparency, and human oversight of automated decision systems.

Over a five-decade career, Stevens has worked at the intersection of science communication, emerging technology, and public policy. He pioneered multimedia storytelling projects for NASA, NOAA, and the U.S. Geological Survey, translating complex scientific and technological systems for broad audiences.

He is also the author of The Wisdom of the Alzheimer’s Sage, exploring memory, identity, and dignity in an age of cognitive vulnerability.

His work explores a larger question: how do we remain fully human as the systems we create, from global and local environmental issues to artificial intelligence, reshape the conditions of our lives?

He lives in California.