The AI and Society IPK working group is a collaborative, cross-disciplinary forum that brings together scholars and practitioners analyzing the social, cultural, political, and economic implications of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and robotics, with a particular focus on matters of public interest. Our mission is to foster research on real-world applications of AI and the practices surrounding them, including their development, dissemination, and usage. The group will serve as a venue for workshopping works in progress, sparking collaborations, and bringing together disparate communities across NYU and NYC. We are especially interested in incubating research that brings together disparate perspectives and centers sites beyond the Global North. The complex nature of artificial intelligence necessitates perspectives from across engineering, the social sciences, humanities, natural sciences, law, and public policy, as well as more design- oriented disciplines, and we are committed to approaching our study of it as such.

This group will consider topics including, but not limited to:
Defining AI: What are we actually referring to when we describe something as artificial intelligence? How has our understanding of and relationship with AI changed with the advent of generative models? Does AI mean the same thing to different communities, sectors, and disciplines?

AI in the Public and Nonprofit Sectors: How is AI deployed within the public and nonprofit sectors? How does it shape public service delivery, decision-making, inequality, and citizens’ rights? How does it impact the transparency and accountability of public and nonprofit entities? How does it shape citizens’ relationships with and trust in these entities?

AI in Everyday Life: How are AI technologies being integrated into various aspects of everyday life, and what are the cultural, social, and psychological ramifications of this integration? How do perceptions and interactions with AI in daily life vary across members of different groups? How do AI technologies impact people’s identities, interactions, and communities?

AI, Labor, and Organizational Structures: How are AI and robotics altering labor markets, job roles, and the nature of work? How do AI-driven changes in work structures affect worker rights, job experiences, and employee well-being, especially given the potential for increased surveillance and control?

AI, Civic Life, and Democracy: How does AI influence civic participation, political discourse, and democratic processes? What is the role of AI in shaping public opinion and the public’s access to information? How can AI be harnessed to enhance democratic resilience and support broad-based civic engagement?

Creativity and Creative Industries: How does AI shape creative expression and cultural diversity? What are the ethical and legal implications of AI-generated content? How do notions of authorship, ownership, and collaboration change with the use of generative AI tools? What are the benchmarks of ‘creativity’?