From entertainment to online shopping to chatbots, Al systems are exerting influence across many aspects of our lives. The impacts are widespread, shaping our belief systems, our voting decisions, and our well-being. Yet, not all influence is unethical, which leads to this question … How can we ethically assess the influence of AI systems on […]
Ask a Data Ethicist: How Can Organizations Build Capacity for Data and AI Ethics Work?
In January, I had the privilege of delivering the keynote at EDGO 2025. There were so many fantastic questions – too many to get to during the event. Afterwards, I got a note from the CEO of Measured Strategies, Karen Menard, with a great question: “One of the things I keep hearing about is the […]
Ask a Data Ethicist: What Is the Appropriate Etiquette When Using AI Tools?
Most of us understand how to behave in different social situations and interact with others in ways that are deemed acceptable. Yet, when we bring AI tools into the mix, we create the capacity for friction because the social norms for using these tools are not yet clear. Which raises this question … What is […]
Ask a Data Ethicist: How Can You Learn More About Data and AI Ethics?
It was about this time last year that I pitched the team at DATAVERSITY the idea of this monthly column on data ethics. There’s certainly been no shortage of interesting questions to cover and I’ve enjoyed writing about both the practical and more philosophical aspects of this topic. As we wrap up this year and […]
Ask a Data Ethicist: What Happens to Your Data When a Company Goes Bankrupt?
The recent meltdown of 23andme and what might become of their DNA database got me thinking about this question: What happens to your data when a company goes bankrupt? To say the past year has been a tough one for 23andme is an understatement. This latest turn of events, which involves infighting between management and […]
Ask a Data Ethicist: Does Using Generative AI Devalue Professional Work?
A couple of weeks ago, a management consultant I met made an off-the-cuff remark that caught my attention. I was asking them about the ways in which generative AI might impact their business and they shared that clients might not want to pay $50,000 for a slide deck anymore if they disclosed that generative AI […]
Ask a Data Ethicist: What Should Be the Limits of Biometric Data Collection in the Workplace?
There’s a movement underway to capture an increasing amount of data about employees – from facial recognition or fingerprint systems used for tracking time and attendance, to systems that monitor your every keystroke. All of these invasive data collection technologies raise this question: What should be the limits of biometric data collection in the workplace? […]
Ask a Data Ethicist: How Can We Set Realistic Expectations About AI?
One of the most important questions about using AI responsibly has very little to do with data, models, or anything technical. It has to do with the power of a captivating story about magical thinking. There’s a set of beliefs driven by over-exuberant AI hype – that AI is going to revolutionize everything! How can […]
Ask a Data Ethicist: When Is It OK to Use “Fake” Data?
It’s easier than ever to use AI-generated images or text and to create synthetic data for use in research. A recent high-profile story got me thinking more about this question: When is it OK to use “fake” data? Before we dive into this, I’m putting “fake” in quotes because I’m taking a wide perspective on […]
Ask a Data Ethicist: What Is Data Sovereignty?
Recently, my DATAVERSITY colleague Mark Horseman shared that he’d been getting a lot more questions about Indigenous data sovereignty. We both agreed it would make a great topic for this month’s column. What is Indigenous data sovereignty, why does it matter, and how can we learn more about it? To answer these questions, it helps […]