The UvA Inclusive AI invites everybody that is studying, teaching, and researching AI at the University of Amsterdam to join a virtual talk and discussion with Shakir Mohamed (Google DeepMind) on Decolonial AI and Sociotechnical Foresight.
The talk and discussion will take place on the 26th of October 2020, 15:00, via Zoom for students and staff of the UVA only.
In order to receive the Zoom link and additional information, we kindly ask everybody to sign up for the event: https://bit.ly/3ljPv8G.
In addition, we will post updates about the event on our website https://uva-iai.github.io/.
Decolonial AI and Sociotechnical Foresight by Shakir Mohamed
In this talk, I’d like to explore how our shared colonial past can be used as a tool for new types of foresight into the role of technology, and specifically of machine learning and AI, and how that shapes how we think about how our work can be used for good. Decolonial theories use historical hindsight to explain patterns of power that shape our intellectual, political, economic, and social world. By embedding a decolonial critical approach within its technical practice, AI communities can develop foresight and tactics that can better align research and technology development with established ethical principles, centering vulnerable peoples who continue to bear the brunt of negative impacts of innovation and scientific progress. The years ahead will usher in a wave of new scientific breakthroughs and technologies driven by AI research, making it incumbent upon AI communities to strengthen the social contract through ethical foresight and by taking advantage of the multiplicity of intellectual perspectives available to us, ultimately supporting future technologies that enable greater well-being, with the goal of beneficence and justice for all.
Shakir Mohamed is a research scientist and lead at DeepMind, researching
statistical machine learning and artificial intelligence. He works on advancing machine learning principles, applied questions in healthcare and climate, and diversity and transformation. Shakir is also a founder and trustee of the Deep Learning Indaba, a grassroots organisation aiming to build pan-African capacity and ownership in AI: by building communities, creating leadership and recognising excellence. Shakir is the General Chair for the 2021 International Conference on Learning Representations, sits on the board of directors for ICML and ICLR, and also a member of the Royal Society’s Diversity Committee.