USF Establishes a Center for Applied Data Ethics
The University of San Francisco (USF) is taking a significant step forward in addressing the growing concerns surrounding the responsible use of data and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. The USF Center for Applied Data Ethics, funded by Craig Newmark Philanthropies, is set to launch in the upcoming academic year.
The Center's mission is to promote ethical procurement, design, management, and consumption of AI and related data, with a focus on public sector settings. It aims to ensure that AI systems and data practices adhere to principles of ethics and safety, addressing issues such as the encoding and magnification of unjust bias, increasing surveillance and erosion of privacy, spread of disinformation and amplification of conspiracy theories, and the lack of transparency or oversight in how predictive policing is being deployed.
The Center will be housed within the USF Data Institute and will offer a variety of initiatives to achieve its goals. These include a data ethics seminar series featuring talks by experts on issues of data ethics, a tech policy workshop focusing on creating thoughtful and informed laws to safeguard human rights, and data ethics courses open to the community.
One of the key initiatives is the Data Ethics Certificate Course, designed to provide individuals with a comprehensive understanding of the ethical considerations in AI and data practices. The Center will also offer research fellowships, known as Data Ethics Fellows, for those working on problems of applied data ethics. Applications for the Data Ethics Fellows program will open in the fall.
In addition, a required data ethics course will be added to the Masters of Science in Data Science program at USF, ensuring that the next generation of data science professionals are equipped with the knowledge and skills to navigate the ethical landscape of their field.
The speaker, who has given numerous talks on these issues, encourages the audience to join them for the first data ethics seminar, scheduled for the evening of Monday, Aug 19, downtown in San Francisco. They also invite the community to sign up for the Center's mailing list to stay informed about upcoming events and initiatives.
The speaker is adamant that having a homogeneous and exclusive group designing technology is dangerous and that a broader and more diverse group of people should be involved with AI. They do not plan to come up with a set of AI ethics principles but instead hope to amplify excellent work that is already being done in the field.
The Center for Applied Data Ethics' work aligns strongly with broader trends in AI ethics education and responsible AI usage promoted by institutions like the USF Institute for Artificial Intelligence. As AI and data technologies continue to shape our world, the Center's initiatives are a crucial step towards ensuring that these advancements are guided by ethical considerations, fostering careful stewardship of AI technologies to maximize societal benefits while minimizing ethical risks.
[1] Source: USF Center for Applied Data Ethics website and USF Institute for Artificial Intelligence website.
- The University of San Francisco (USF) is stepping forward to address the growing concerns about the responsible use of data and AI technologies with the launch of the USF Center for Applied Data Ethics.
- The Center aims to promote ethical practices in the procurement, design, management, and consumption of AI and related data, particularly in public sector settings.
- This Center will focus on issues such as the encoding and magnification of unjust bias, increasing surveillance and privacy issues, the spread of disinformation, and the lack of transparency in predictive policing.
- The Center will be housed within the USF Data Institute, offering initiatives like data ethics seminar series, tech policy workshops, and data ethics courses open to the community.
- A key initiative includes the Data Ethics Certificate Course, with the application for Data Ethics Fellows set to open in the fall.
- To ensure the next generation of data science professionals are ethically well-equipped, a required data ethics course will be added to the Masters of Science in Data Science program at USF.
- The Center's work aligns with institutions like the USF Institute for Artificial Intelligence that promote AI ethics education and responsible AI usage.
- The speaker emphasized the need for a diverse group of people to be involved in AI development and doesn't plan to come up with a specific set of AI ethics principles but rather hopes to amplify excellent work being done in the field.
- The community is encouraged to join the first data ethics seminar, scheduled for Aug 19, and sign up for the Center's mailing list for updates on events and initiatives related to AI ethics, health-and-wellness, mental-health, education-and-self-development, politics, and general-news, all areas being shaped by advancements in technology and AI.
