Deborah Hellman, professor of law at the University of Virginia, spoke at the Schwartz Reisman Institute’s weekly seminar about the ways in which algorithmic decision-making can exacerbate the already-present possibility of “compounding injustice” and “accuracy-affecting injustice.” To capture our moral intuitions in cases like this, Hellman proposes the “Anti-Compounding Injustice Principle.”

SRI Director Gillian K. Hadfield will discuss her book Rules for a Flat World as part of Rotman’s Big Ideas series. The paperback edition includes a new prologue about artificial intelligence—its risks, benefits, evolution, and regulation. In this interview, Hadfield offers insights into how we might understand, govern, and build technology that is responsive to human values.

From broadening not only the scope of data used by researchers to expanding conceptions of what data is—and can be—Schwartz Reisman Faculty Affiliate Marlène Koffi makes three recommendations for social science researchers who want to leverage powerful new technologies like machine learning in their work.

SRI Engineering Lead Ron Bodkin says the European Commission’s recent white paper on AI falls short in assessing risk and proposing adequate regulation for the use of artificial intelligence across sectors and industries. Bodkin proposes some reflections and amendments that could address the breadth of potential risks and harms in a world rapidly implementing AI across all aspects of life.

Specialist in human-computer interaction, healthcare software and hardware, and the intersections between humanities and engineering, Matt Ratto has been recognized for his work on the Toronto Emergency Device Accelerator (TEDA), an interdisciplinary solutions-oriented project that deploys equipment from across U of T to produce medical supplies like masks, face shields, and ventilators.

SRI faculty affiliate Marzyeh Ghassemi worries that explainable AI may make things worse rather than better. Her research suggests that explainable AI is perceived to be more trustworthy even when it is in fact less accurate. Learn more about Ghassemi’s research.

Human decision-makers who approve or deny refugee claims “are often unjustifiably certain in their beliefs,” says Avi Goldfarb. The economist and data scientist with specialization in AI and machine learning started to wonder: could ML’s ability to reduce uncertainty help reduce false refugee claim denials?

What is the alignment problem and how can we encourage the development of human-aligned AI? What is normativity and how do humans channel appropriate behaviour? If normativity is central to human intelligence, how can it apply to artificial intelligence as well?

Would you like to bring your skills and experience in a computational discipline like economics, computational social science, or computer science to the Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society?

Miyo Yamashita is well-known in corporate Canada, having held various senior leadership roles in healthcare, banking, and consulting. She will work closely with Schwartz Reisman researchers and leadership to ensure powerful tools like AI can serve the common good and to build collaborative projects that move responsible AI in industry into practical implementation.

Former Google exec, engineer, serial entrepreneur, and specialist in responsible AI Ron Bodkin has been appointed VP of AI Engineering and CIO at Vector and Engineering Lead at the Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society.

The COVID Alert app is a useful tool in the fight against the pandemic. But it’s also a concerning indicator of the increasingly decisive role “Big Tech” plays in policy choices. Lisa Austin, David Lie, and Wendy Wong co-wrote an opinion piece about the design and privacy implications of the new federally-approved exposure notification app.