Abstract:

The operationalization of ethical principles, current and emerging legislation, and the understanding and mitigation of potential consequences to individuals and society are key challenges in responsible, trustworthy, and participatory AI development. Responsible innovation and ethical tech are essential to build public trust and meet legal obligations. Participatory AI is an approach to AI development that actively involves various stakeholders, including end-users, communities, and other relevant parties, in the design, development, and deployment processes of AI systems. This method emphasizes collaboration, transparency, and inclusivity to ensure that AI technologies are aligned with the values, needs, and expectations of the people who will be affected by them. Examples of research projects that bridge the gap between businesses, academia, and people will be presented, demonstrating how the use of ethical toolkits can help build public confidence to question the use of AI in their everyday lives, enhance academic research and provide meaningful public engagement to business. By fostering a collaborative approach, the speaker will illustrate how AI systems can be created to be not only innovative but also aligned with societal values and ethical standards.

Biography:

Keeley Crockett SMIEEE SFHEA is a Professor in Computational Intelligence at Manchester Metropolitan University and Chair of the IEEE Technical Committee SHIELD (Ethical, Legal, Social, Environmental and Human Dimensions of AI/CI). She has over 27 years' experience of research and development in Ethical and responsible AI (for both SME's and an advocate for citizen voice), computational intelligence algorithms and applications, including adaptive psychological profiling, fuzzy systems, semantic similarity, and dialogue systems. Keeley has led work on Place based practical Artificial Intelligence, facilitating a parliamentary inquiry with Policy Connect and the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Data Analytics (APGDA), leading to the inquiry report "Our Place Our Data: Involving Local People in Data and AI-Based Recovery".

She obtained STRENGTH IN PLACES POLICY funded engagement work with Greater Manchester businesses on "SME Readiness for Adoption of Ethical Approaches to AI Development and Deployment". She is currently the Principal Investigator (PI) on the EPSRC "PEAs in Pods: Co-production of community based public engagement for data and AI research." Grant, Co-I on Manchester City Council funded Peoples Panel for AI, which is a follow on from funding obtained from The Alan Turing Institute "People-powered AI: responsible research and innovation through community ideation and involvement". She is currently PI on an Innovate UK Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) with My First Five Years, CI on Innovate UK KTP with COUCH and CI on Innovate UK KTP with GMCA. She is Co-Lead for AI Stream within the Centre for Digital Innovation. She is currently on the Steering Group of the Government Inquiry on AI and Skills in the Digital Aid working with Policy Connect and the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Data Analytics (APGDA) and a collaborator with HMG Cabinet Office.

Keeley was appointed to the UKRI's AI & Robotics Strategic Advisory Team (SAT) on 1st April 2024. She is a member of the IEEE Computational intelligence Society ADCOM (2023-25), an active IEEE CIS volunteering in numerous subcommittees.