SRI Director David Lie and 18 collaborators—including five other SRI researchers— will receive $5.6 million in grants over the next four years to develop solutions for critical artificial intelligence (AI) challenges. Learn more about the new funding from NSERC and CSE.

The field of AI safety emphasizes that systems be aligned with human values, often stating AI should “do no harm.” But lethal autonomous systems used for firearms and drones are already harming people. How can we address the reality of purposely harmful AI systems? SRI Graduate Fellow Michael Zhang writes about a panel of experts exploring this topic.

Get to know the 15 new faculty affiliates joining the SRI research community for the 2024–25 academic year. The new cohort of affiliates has expertise in a variety of fields across social sciences, humanities, and STEM disciplines, including geography, psychology, information studies, management, criminology, sociology, history, cultural studies, public health, physiology, pharmaceutical sciences, computer science, and engineering.

Can we trust the behaviours, predictions, and pronouncements of the advanced artificial intelligence (AI) systems that are seemingly everywhere in our lives? This question is being explored using a multidisciplinary approach by a working group led by SRI Research Lead Beth Coleman. Learn more about the group members and what they’re working on.

The Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society is proud to welcome four new faculty fellows and 15 graduate fellows from across the University of Toronto. SRI fellowships support interdisciplinary research projects that build new approaches to examine the complex relations between technology and society.

SRI Faculty Affiliate Nicolas Papernot is using a protocol borrowed from cryptography to develop a technical framework in preparation for possible AI regulation. For this multidisciplinary collaborative project that also includes SRI researcher Lisa Austin, Papernot received an AI2050 Schmidt Sciences Early Career fellowship.

A new report report shares findings on opinions about artificial intelligence (AI) in 21 countries. GPO-AI reveals varying, diverse and region-specific attitudes about the use of artificial intelligence, and topics of focus in the survey include job loss, deepfakes, and state regulation. The project was led by SRI Associate Director Peter Loewen, and features contributions from SRI Graduate Fellow Blake Lee-Whiting.

At SRI’s annual academic conference, leading researchers from diverse fields came together to tackle the complexities of AI alignment and how to better understand the social impacts of data-driven technologies. 28 distinguished speakers presented new approaches and ideas to better understand how these technologies are impacting our world.

SRI Research Lead Beth Coleman and SRI Faculty Affiliate Rahul Krishnan are co-hosts of the new podcast “What Now? AI”. Coleman and Krishnan explore—and demystify—artificial intelligence and its impact on society with the help of leading experts. Guests include Gillian Hadfield, Roger Grosse, Christine Allen, and Andrew Pinto.

As challenges such as AI safety, data privacy, and misinformation become increasingly prevalent, the Embedded Ethics Education Initiative integrates ethics modules into computer science courses at U of T. In recognition of the program’s impact on the student learning experience, the team has won the 2024 Northrop Frye Award

The Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence (HAI) has released their 7th annual AI Index, and this year’s edition includes data from a joint project by SRI and the Policy, Elections and Representation Lab (PEARL) at the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy. The Stanford Index is considered one of the most trusted and widely-read indices about the state of AI in the world.

The Schwartz Reisman Institute’s annual academic conference will take place May 6–8, 2024, with select sessions taking place in the newly-completed Schwartz Reisman Innovation Campus located in the heart of Toronto’s Discovery District. Speakers include: Peter Railton, Harper Reed, Huili Chen, Ray Perrault, Gillian Hadfield, and more.