AI justice.
Understanding how to grow with AI as humans requires learning alongside the tools it generates. That said, two things can be true at once: these budding resources can open real doors, but they are also moving fast enough to cause real harm. I believe it is my responsibility to contribute to closing that gap by starting the conversation with objectivity, humanity, and nonpartisanship in mind.
With the rapid advancement of technology comes an increasingly great demand for humans to engage in new ways. My background is steeped in human behavior, equity and inclusion, and people development at large, and with that knowledge, I currently hold three core beliefs about AI and how we interact as humans.
I believe these tools should be accessible, and I believe access should have limits. What the last five years have shown about young people, technology, and learning is that the three cannot be separated. Since we are now in a time period in which much of life fully depends on digital connectivity, I believe it is imperative that young people have the boundaries to build their own problem solving, decision making, and ways of thinking before a tool offers to do it for them. A developing brain should not be robbed of the pathway to conscious and critical thinking before cognitive development is fully reached.
With burgeoning environmental concerns and limited research on long-term health implications, I do not believe AI advancement should be built at the expense of any community across socioeconomic statuses. Responsible growth requires a people-first approach, and people are always the bottom line.
AI tools should enhance our lives as humans professionally, relationally, and environmentally. At some point a global governing body needs to be established, similar to the World Health Organization, but until then we must standardize our definitions of both help and harm across technology. There is an abundance of data that can speak to both sides, and autonomy without regulation will eventually take a more serious toll than anticipated.
This page is where I keep the resources for learning more and getting engaged.
Algorithmic Justice League
Research and advocacy on how AI systems affect people differently, founded by Dr. Joy Buolamwini. ajl.org
Distributed AI Research Institute (DAIR)
Independent, community-rooted AI research founded by Dr. Timnit Gebru. dair-institute.org
AI Now Institute
Policy research on the social implications and concentration of power in AI. ainowinstitute.org
Data & Society
Independent research on the social implications of data and automation. datasociety.net
Encode
A youth-led movement for safe and accountable AI. encodeai.org
Common Sense Media
Research and guidance for families and schools on kids, media, and AI. commonsensemedia.org
Southern Environmental Law Center
Legal advocacy on environmental impacts across the South, including data center siting, power, and water. selc.org
A directory for all 50 states, D.C., and Puerto Rico
A state-by-state guide to AI justice and data center accountability: who is organizing, what is being sited where, and how to get engaged locally. In research now; subscribe to Field Notes and it will land in your inbox when it publishes.
Sign up for Field Notes. One short observation most weeks on why AI sticks or doesn't, and who pays when it does.