Artificial Intelligence systems are being applied to many arenas of human life – across major sectors such as education, health care, criminal justice, housing, and employment – influencing significant decisions that impact individuals, populations, and national agendas.
But the vast majority of AI systems and related technologies are being put in place with minimal oversight, few accountability mechanisms, and little information about their broader implications. Those developing these systems are generally private companies, whose incentives do not always align with those of the populations on whom they are used, even as these systems are rapidly integrated into core social domains.
To ensure that all AI is sensitive and responsive to the people who bear the highest risk of bias, error, or exploitation, we will need to develop new ways to identify, understand, analyze, and ensure these systems –– and those developing and deploying them –– are accountable.
The AI Now Institute at NYU produces interdisciplinary research and public engagement on the social implications of artificial intelligence. We aim to:
- Measure and understand the effects of AI in society.
- Work with those directly impacted by the use of AI to shape standards and practices that mitigate harm and inform just AI deployment.
- Help shape a rigorous and inclusive field focused on these issues.
Currently, our research focuses on four key domains: rights and liberties, labor and automation, bias and inclusion, and safety and critical infrastructure.
Founded in 2017, AI Now is housed at New York University’s Tandon School of Engineering, where it fosters vibrant intellectual engagement and collaboration across the University and beyond.