Simon Willison defines a Directly Responsible Individual as the person ultimately accountable for the success or failure of a specific project, initiative, or activity. He notes that the term originated at Apple and appears in the GitLab handbook. Willison argues that an artificial intelligence agent should never hold this role because humans alone can take accountability for their actions where machines cannot. He references an IBM training slide from 1979 which states that a computer can never be held accountable and therefore must never make a management decision. This view persists despite the increasing use of LLM-powered agents in modern organisations.
The distinction matters because it prevents organisations from assigning blame to software when things go wrong. It forces a human to remain in the loop for critical decisions and ensures someone faces the consequences of outcomes. This approach maintains a clear line of responsibility that algorithms cannot replicate.
* The concept originated at Apple before appearing in the GitLab handbook.
* An IBM slide from 1979 established that computers cannot be held accountable.
* Willison believes humans must always be the DRI for projects involving AI.
