Our weekly seminar series welcomes Schwartz Reisman Research Lead Peter Loewen, professor in the University of Toronto’s Department of Political Science and Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy. Loewen is interested in how politicians can make better decisions, how citizens can make better choices, and how governments can address the disruption of technology and harness its opportunities. Loewen will discuss four barriers to algorithmic government.
Talk title
“Four barriers to algorithmic government”
Abstract
Governments are increasingly exploring the use of algorithms, machine learning, and artificial intelligence to improve government performance, increase the speed of decision making, and enhance the fairness of government decision making.
Do citizens support this? Assuming that citizen support of the process of government decision making is necessary for institutional legitimacy, this talk explores citizens' support for governments relying on algorithms for decision making. Drawing on data from more than a dozen countries, it identifies four distinct obstacles.
First, citizens support various justifications for the use of algorithms, but no set of justifications strongly. Second, citizens evaluate (any) algorithmic innovation negatively versus the status quo. Third, citizens’ trust in algorithms develops independently of algorithmic performance. Fourth, opposition to algorithmic government is higher among those who fear the broader effects of automation and AI, suggesting a potential for a populist backlash against government use of algorithms for decision making.
About Peter Loewen
Peter Loewen is a research lead at the Schwartz Reisman Institute, and professor in U of T’s Department of Political Science and Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy. He has published in journals of political science, economics, psychology, biology, and general science. He also directs PEARL (the Policy, Elections, and Representation Lab) at the Munk School.
About the SRI Seminar Series
The SRI Seminar Series brings together the Schwartz Reisman community and beyond for a robust exchange of ideas that advance scholarship at the intersection of technology and society. Seminars are led by a leading or emerging scholar and feature extensive discussion.
Each week, a featured speaker will present for 45 minutes, followed by 45 minutes of discussion. Registered attendees will be emailed a Zoom link approximately one hour before the event begins. The event will be recorded and posted online.
Peter Loewen