We are on the precipice of a number of technologies that can redefine the internet and how we live, work, and play. To build the future we want, we have to optimize for intended consequences and guard against unintended ones. This session will focus on what we should be asking today to support the world we want tomorrow.
Safiya Noble runs a research institution on tech + society at UCLA and Bilal Zuberi is an investor at leading Silicon Valley VC firm Lux Capital. The two engaged in a rare conversation on the ethics of technology sector beneficiaries and where we need better leadership and processes to avoid unintended consequences. They focused on areas like predictive analytics and data generated by sensors, where this data can then be used and combined for automation, drug discovery, cybersecurity, etc. Especially in priority areas like these, ethics and high-quality leadership are essential to counterbalance potential harms.
Key Takeaways:
Supplementary Resources:
Dr. Safiya Noble is an internet studies scholar and Professor of Gender Studies and African American Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) where she serves as the Co-Founder and Faculty Director of the UCLA Center for Critical Internet Inquiry (C2i2). She holds affiliations in the School of Education & Information Studies, and is a Research Associate at the Oxford Internet Institute at the University of Oxford where she is a Commissioner on the Oxford Commission on AI & Good Governance (OxCAIGG). She is a MacArthur Foundation Fellow and the inaugural NAACP-Archewell Digital Civil Rights Award recipient.
Learn moreBilal Zuberi is a Partner at Lux Capital, investing in startups that solve big, practical problems with technically ambitious solutions, across industries. Bilal led Lux’s investments in Applied Intuition, Ironclad, OpenSpace, Nozomi Networks, Commure, Tendo Health, DesktopMetal ($DM), Evolv ($EVLV), Aurora Solar, Saildrone, Fiddler, and others. Previously, Bilal was a VC at General Catalyst and co-founded GEO2 Technologies.
Learn moreJustin Hendrix is Co-Founder and CEO of Tech Policy Press, a new nonprofit media venture concerned with the intersection of technology and democracy. Previously, he was Executive Director of NYC Media Lab. He spent over a decade at The Economist in roles including Vice President, Business Development & Innovation. He is an associate research scientist and adjunct professor at NYU Tandon School of Engineering, and holds a BA from the College of William & Mary and an MSc in Technology Commercialization from the University of Texas at Austin.
Learn moreInspired by this session? Have questions and want to learn more? Responsible Innovation Labs is all about community, and fostering compelling conversations like these. Let us know what you think, and share your thoughts with us below.
-min.png)
