NYU’s Information Law Institute and White House jointly present symposium on implications of artificial intelligence technologies

NYU’s Information Law Institute teamed up with the White House to present “AI Now: The Social and Economic Implications of Artificial Intelligence Technologies in the Near-Term,” a free public symposium held at the Skirball Center for the Performing Arts on July 7.

Kate Crawford, a principal researcher for Microsoft, and Meredith Whittaker, the founder of Google’s Open Research Group, served as co-chairs of “AI Now.” The symposium brought together academics, policymakers, industry leaders, and commentators to discuss issues regarding artificial intelligence (AI) and, more immediately, to opine on crucial decisions to be made in the next five to 10 years that will affect human life. The event focused on four areas likely to be changed by AI in the near future: social inequality, health, labor, and ethics.

“These are the structural issues of the present,” Crawford said at the symposium. “Ultimately, [this includes] the question of who’s going to benefit most from these systems, who gets to decide how these systems work, and who is going to face the risks.” Crawford went on to say that these issues warrant a discussion because of a growing dependency and increased involvement with AI systems across the board.

Panelists touched on a range of topics and offered their expert perspectives. Discussion focused on AI issues that presently need attention, such as consent to and transparency of data usage and how to treat footage retrieved from law enforcement’s body cameras. Participants also looked at future considerations, including AI’s impact on income disparity and how to maintain measured expectations about the ways AI could affect our lives.

Watch the panel "In Conversation with the White House, Past and Present" (21 min):

Posted August 12, 2016