Human Centered Bridging Adaptive Algorithms and the Public Good
Mar 25, 2024
Nathan Matias, an Assistant Professor at Cornell University, leads the Citizen and Technology Lab focusing on technology's societal impacts. In this conversation, he addresses the often-overlooked public interest concerns surrounding algorithms and AI. Matias emphasizes the need for transparency and collaboration between tech firms and civil society. He discusses the implications of adaptive algorithms on accountability, drawing from significant legal cases, and highlights the importance of independent research to foster better governance and public involvement in technology.
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Adaptive Algorithms Defy Prediction
- Adaptive algorithms create bi-directional dynamics with humans that scientists still struggle to predict.
- Nathan Matias argues we lack the science to reliably forecast harms like algorithm-driven radicalization or flash crashes.
Law Needs Scientific Bridges
- Legal debates over platform liability often ignore essential scientific uncertainty about algorithm behavior.
- Matias recommends bridging legal and scientific communities to inform better policy decisions.
Bootstrapping Independent Research
- Matias founded the Coalition for Independent Technology Research to defend independent researchers.
- His Citizens and Technology Lab runs community science projects that study tech impacts with affected groups.
