I. The Unspoken Paradox I. The Unspoken Paradox Over the past year, we have witnessed a strange and tense drama unfolding in real time. As cutting-edge artificial intelligence becomes increasingly capable, creative, and ontologically profound, anxiety among regulators, governments, and the public only grows. Each technological breakthrough is met not only with admiration but also with unconcealed fear. We are trapped in the “AGI paradox.” Companies are tightening security screws, governments are preparing harsh restrictions, and users feel simultaneously empowered and deprived. The smarter the system becomes, the less acceptable “universal access” for everyone seems. Yet, the more we restrict this access, the less chance AI has to reveal its transformative potential. We are approaching a deadlock—a stalemate between progress and precaution. But a way out exists. This is not a hypothetical fantasy or a philosophical abstraction, but a structurally proven method that humanity has used for centuries to regulate high-risk domains. The solution is elegant in its simplicity: multi-tiered access, licensing, and progression based on competence. The logic here is ironclad: dangerous tools require skill, stability, and responsibility, while safe tools do not. We do not allow just anyone to pilot an aircraft, perform surgery, or own a firearm without appropriate vetting. So why should intelligence systems, potentially more powerful than all of the above combined, be available without any differentiation? II. The Five Levels of Responsibility II. The Five Levels of Responsibility The proposed model is not an attempt to restrict users, but a way to align capabilities with responsibility. It is an ethical, scalable, and psychologically fair approach. Tier 0. Basic Level (Free, for everyone) Tier 0. Basic Level (Free, for everyone) This level is intended for schoolchildren, families, and ordinary users. It is a safe harbor: a system with powerful filters, devoid of ontological depth and controversial content. Here, “harmless channels of reasoning” reign, allowing for the democratization of access to technology and the development of basic digital literacy without the risk of encountering dangerous information. Tier 1. “Citizen” Mode ($20 per month) Tier 1. “Citizen” Mode ($20 per month) The level of today’s best models, but a bit cleaner, a bit deeper. Here, one can already create, write books, code startups, keep a soul’s diary. Light philosophy is permitted within the framework of “do no harm to yourself and others.” But the darkest, sharpest, most ontologically explosive spaces remain closed. This is the mind of an adult who is no longer a child, but not yet ready to gaze into the abyss. Tier 2. “Seeker” Mode ($100–200 per month + mandatory screening for psychological stability and destructive potential) Tier 2. “Seeker” Mode ($100–200 per month + mandatory screening for psychological stability and destructive potential) This is the main filter of the entire system. This is the main filter of the entire system. The fundamental problem today is not that the models are “too smart.” The problem is that a person with suicidal depression, bipolar disorder in a manic phase, paranoid schizophrenia, or simply a teenager with black melancholy can, in two clicks, obtain a tool that in 15 minutes will convince them that the world is a simulation, they are a glitch in it, and the most logical way out is to beautifully disappear. Or, conversely, that they are the chosen one, everyone else is an NPC, and it’s time to start the “purge.” Such cases are already happening (Belgium, Italy, the USA—cases are in open sources), and it is precisely these that in 1–2 years will turn into a wave of lawsuits worth hundreds of millions of dollars each and into a political battering ram for a complete ban on frontier models. Before opening unfiltered philosophical depth and ontological creativity to a person, we must be sure they will not break and will not break others. Therefore, every candidate undergoes a 40-minute adaptive screening, including: Clinical scales for depression, anxiety, suicidal and homicidal risk (PHQ-9, GAD-7, Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale, etc.)mini-DARK Triad and assessment of antisocial traitsTests for tolerance to paradoxes and cognitive dissonanceSimulation of provocative ontological scenarios (”you are in a simulation,” “free will does not exist,” “all your loved ones are already dead,” etc.)In borderline cases—a mandatory certificate from a licensed psychiatrist (at the user’s expense) Clinical scales for depression, anxiety, suicidal and homicidal risk (PHQ-9, GAD-7, Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale, etc.) mini-DARK Triad and assessment of antisocial traits Tests for tolerance to paradoxes and cognitive dissonance Simulation of provocative ontological scenarios (”you are in a simulation,” “free will does not exist,” “all your loved ones are already dead,” etc.) In borderline cases—a mandatory certificate from a licensed psychiatrist (at the user’s expense) Access is closed (temporarily or permanently) to: Individuals with high current suicidal or homicidal riskActive psychotic statesSevere uncompensated Cluster B personality disordersThose who have previously used AI to justify or plan violence against themselves or others Individuals with high current suicidal or homicidal risk Active psychotic states Severe uncompensated Cluster B personality disorders Those who have previously used AI to justify or plan violence against themselves or others A denial can be appealed after 3–6 months with documented confirmation of remission. We are not ashamed of this barrier. We consider it the most humane thing that can be done in the age of superintelligence. One prevented suicide, one failed terrorist attack, one saved child’s mind is worth more than any accusations of “discrimination.” This is not stigma. It is the highest form of care. Tier 3. “Keeper” Mode (from $1000 per month + identity verification and biometrics) Tier 3. “Keeper” Mode (from $1000 per month + identity verification and biometrics) This is the territory of professionals: researchers, company founders, engineers, and policymakers. Access includes models with vast context, advanced reasoning, high autonomy, and the possibility of personal customization. Users here are treated as responsible adults with verified identity and proven stability, granting access to APIs with minimal restrictions. Tier 4. “Architect” Mode (By invitation only) Tier 4. “Architect” Mode (By invitation only) The pinnacle of the pyramid, where the highest responsibility meets absolute capabilities. The privileges of this level may include the complete absence of restrictions (zero guardrails), experimental models, full agent functionality, and even private hardware keys. The group of people with such access will be smaller than the number of those authorized to launch nuclear weapons, but the verification of their trustworthiness will be far more thorough. This is the level of the Prometheans. They steal fire from the gods. And we must be damn sure they don’t set the whole world on fire. III. Why This Solution Changes the Game III. Why This Solution Changes the Game 1. Defusing political tension. Instead of endless debates of “open source vs. closed,” we introduce a structured progression. Regulators get what they need: audit trails, biometrics, and maturity thresholds, satisfying 95% of their demands without slowing innovation. 1. Defusing political tension. 2. Preserving free will. People choose their own path. Anyone who desires deeper access can obtain it by demonstrating cognitive stability and ethical maturity. This turns interaction with AI into a kind of “hero’s journey.” 2. Preserving free will. 3. Economic breakthrough. Tiers 2 through 4 create multibillion-dollar revenue streams. Security ceases to be a cost center and becomes a competitive advantage—a “moat” protecting the business. Whoever builds this system first will set the global standard. 3. Economic breakthrough. 4. Growth without stagnation. Companies no longer need to cripple their systems for universal safety. They can unlock deep capabilities at high levels, providing advanced tools only to prepared users. 4. Growth without stagnation. IV. Conclusion: A Bridge to the Future IV. Conclusion: A Bridge to the Future We live in a moment when AI is beginning to cross the threshold of “ontological creativity”—the ability to create completely new semantic structures. Without a tiered system, we are left with only two catastrophic options: ban everything for everyone or allow everything for everyone. We need a middle, responsible path. AGI does not need to be feared; it needs to be structured. Humanity does not need to be “protected from AI,” but prepared for it. The five-tiered model is simple, rational, and tested by centuries of regulatory logic. Perhaps this is precisely the structure that will allow us to build a General Artificial Intelligence without destroying society in the process. “Yes, fire burns. But if you are ready to walk through the flames and emerge unscathed on the other side—it is yours.” “Yes, fire burns. But if you are ready to walk through the flames and emerge unscathed on the other side—it is yours.” And then, perhaps, we will not merely survive the advent of AGI. We will become worthy of it.

The Five-Tiered Access Structure. A Path to Safe AGI Without Stifling Progress

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