Alex Tecum-Ramos
Pronouns: they/them
Research Mentor(s): Efren Cruz Cortes
Research Mentor School/College/Department: Michigan Institute for Data Science / Other
Program: UROP
Session: Session 2 (10:00am – 10:50am)
Authors: Alex Tecum-Ramos, Efren Cruz Cortes
Abstract
Influential technology companies supply a meaningful number of artificial intelligence (AI) grants to research institutions and researchers. This may potentially pose a conflict of interest between industry and marginalized communities as artificial intelligence systems have adversely affected marginalized communities in the past. This study aims to use data from technology companies’ AI fairness projects and AI fairness projects funded by the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) “NSF Program on Fairness in Artificial Intelligence in Collaboration with Amazon†grants to analyze the alignment of researchers values to those of industry and society (when there is a conflict). The question being posed around this study is what are the societal and industry values of the AI fairness research community? What will be learned from this research is who and what are being centered in these projects. This research may welcome people to have discussions about the motives of technology companies and of the AI fairness research community. It also may open up an inquiry into the conflict of interest that funding sources can have on research.
