In a bid to advance ethical decision-making in the realm of artificial intelligence (AI), the University of Cambridge’s AI@Cam new flagship mission to drive AI innovation that benefits science, citizens and society, has allocated funding to pioneering projects on fertility, climate change, language and communication challenges, mental health, and how local councils deploy AI.
The project entitled "Decision-making with AI in connected places and cities: Developing an ethical and responsible innovation-rooted approach for public value creation," led by CSIC academics Dr Jennifer Schooling, Dr Kwadwo Oti-Sarpong, and Dr Viviana Bastidas Melo, was one of the five successful projects awarded the prize.
We're excited to be one of the winners of AI-deas and work on this project with practitioners across disciplines to shape the future of public sector decision-making using AI in creating connected places. Understanding how to practically root AI use in ethical considerations, and showing how that can be done, will significantly change how we create the future we want. Dr Kwadwo Oti-Sarpong, CSIC Digital Cities for Change
As cities increasingly turn to AI technologies to streamline governance and address complex urban challenges, concerns regarding ethics and responsible innovation have come to the forefront. This project aims to investigate the role of AI in decision-making processes concerning various facets of urban life, including placemaking, land use, mobility, and sustainable water-supply systems. With a focus on the utilisation of AI by local authorities across England, the project aims to uncover the mechanisms through which AI is integrated into decision-making frameworks to generate public value.
The project's objectives include the development of resources tailored to empower local authorities in making informed and ethical choices regarding AI integration within their digitalisation initiatives. By shedding light on best practices and potential pitfalls, the researchers aim to equip decision-makers with the knowledge and tools needed to harness AI for the benefit of communities while safeguarding against unintended consequences.
Dr Kwadwo Oti-Sarpong, said: "We're excited to be one of the winners of AI-deas and work on this project with practitioners across disciplines to shape the future of public sector decision-making using AI in creating connected places. Understanding how to practically root AI use in ethical considerations, and showing how that can be done, will significantly change how we create the future we want."
The CSIC academics will be working in an interdisciplinary team, collaborating with Dr Manuel Herrera (Department of Engineering), Dr Li Wan and Jerry Chen (Department of Land Economy); Dr Ramit Debnath (Department of Architecture and Cambridge Zero); and Dr Maya Ganesh (Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence and the Institute of Continuing Education).