AI Collaborative Studies and Practical Applications Workshop
News Article: Collaborative AI Symposium Aims to Foster Inclusive and Ethical AI Development
The Tech & Global Affairs Innovation Hub is set to host the Participatory AI Research & Practice Symposium (PAIRS) on February 8th, with a preliminary online session taking place on January 30th. This event aims to create an inclusive space where researchers, practitioners, and stakeholders can collaborate to explore participatory approaches to AI development and governance.
The symposium will be divided into three core tracks: Participatory AI Development, Participatory AI Governance, and Participation, Power, and Resistance. Notable speakers include Claire Mellier (Iswe Foundation), Pierre Noro (SciencesPo Technology and Global Affairs Innovation Hub), Tim Davies (Connected by Data), Kiito Shilongo (Mozilla Foundation), Susan Aaronson (Digital Trade and Data Governance Hub, George Washington University), Meg Young (Data & Society), Renee Sieber (McGill University), Ania Calderon (Data & Society), Avid Ovadya (AI and Democracy Foundation), Reema Patel (Public Voices in AI & Digital Good Network), Vinay Narayan (Aapti Institute), Tina M. Park (Partnership on AI), and many more.
The Participatory AI Development plenary session will feature speakers such as Naftali Ndeapo Indongo (Namibia University of Science and Technology, UNESCO Chair for Indigenous Knowledge Research Cluster), Sonam Jindal (Partnership on AI), and Astha Kapoor (Aapti Institute). The Participatory AI Governance track will include Jeremy Boy (UNDP) and Tina M. Park (Partnership on AI). The Participation, Power, and Resistance Panel will see the participation of Eloïse Gabadou, Suzy Madigan (Responsible AI Lead, CARE International), Bobina Zulfa (Pollicy), and Andreas Katsanevas, Ali Cirone, Alice Siu, and Jess Heal (Meta).
The symposium will also feature a Concluding panel, with speakers such as Clarie Alspektor & David Mas (Make.org), Sonam Jindal (Partnership on AI), Blair Attard-Frost (University of Toronto) & Ana Brandusescu (McGill University), and Sonam Jindal (Partnership on AI). The event will bring together international researchers, policymakers, activists, and community organizers to foster interdisciplinary engagement on participatory AI.
PAIRS aims to document and support a "participatory turn" in AI development and governance, with a focus on the conditions of public trust in AI systems. The event will occur before the Paris AI Action Summit, providing a valuable opportunity for discussions and collaborations ahead of the larger event.
The symposium aligns with broader goals seen in participatory frameworks for AI adoption, emphasizing comprehensive, human-centered strategies such as treating AI implementation as a cultural transformation, empowering knowledgeable participants, and fostering experimentation and learning across institutional and societal contexts. The event aims to advance research and practice that centers on human behavior, social dynamics, and cultural transformation related to AI use and implementation.
In summary, PAIRS is designed to facilitate collaborative, interdisciplinary engagement on participatory AI, supporting ethical frameworks and practical strategies for equitable AI adoption and governance in global and institutional settings. The event promises to be a valuable opportunity for discussions and collaborations in the field of AI research and practice.
[1] For more information on participatory frameworks for AI adoption, please refer to the following resources:
- A. Ovadya, "The Participatory Turn in AI Governance," AI and Democracy Foundation, 2021.
- S. Aaronson, "Participatory AI: A Human-Centered Approach to AI Governance," Digital Trade and Data Governance Hub, George Washington University, 2021.
Technology and artificial-intelligence will be key topics during the Participatory AI Research & Practice Symposium (PAIRS), an event that aims to advance research and practice in ethical and inclusive AI development. The symposium will feature speakers like Claire Mellier, who is known for her work on AI and education-and-self-development, and Avid Ovadya, an expert in artificial-intelligence and personal-growth.
