Research focus is on human biases, accountability and transparency in AI processes and systems, user-algorithm feedback loops and algorithm-mediated communication.

AI plays a key role in the development of interactive media and smart technologies, which are in turn, impacting all sectors of society, from transportation to education to healthcare. Algorithmic systems and processes allow the exploitation of rich and varied data sources; however, there are increasing concerns surrounding their ethical and social dimensions. Even when their designers have the best intentions, algorithmic processes can inadvertently result in consequences in the social world, such as biases in their outputs that can result in discrimination against individuals and/or groups of people. Furthermore, the democratization of AI and its rapid technical evolution make it difficult for legal regulation to keep up.

Fairness and Ethics in AI – Human Interaction MRG (fAIre-MRG) focuses on understanding the nature and impact of human biases in interactive media and smart systems, and develops tools and techniques to promote algorithmic fairness, transparency and positive symbiosis in Human – AI interaction. fAIre researchers use data science and/or social science approaches to examine the impact of human biases as well as to create and evaluate interventions.

Research and applications addressed by fAIre-MRG:

• Image analysis algorithms, such as automated image descriptions
• Search engines, for example, photo and video retrieval
• Crowdsourcing/citizen science platforms in generating and evaluating training data
• Perceptions of fairness, transparency and interaction, in and with machine learning applications, by laypersons and developers alike
• Communication and collaboration processes between Humans and AI enabled technologies

People:

• Dr. Styliani Kleanthous (MRG Leader)
• Dr. Jahna Otterbacher (MRG Leader)
• Dr. Evgenia Christoforou (Researcher Associate)
• Pinar Barlas (Researcher Associate)
• Kyriakos Kyriakou (Researcher Associate – Doctoral Training Program)