In TIME Magazine’s prestigious 2023 TIME100 Artificial Intelligence list, Princeton University proudly boasts a significant representation of prominent figures in artificial intelligence (AI). These individuals include dedicated critics of AI biases, pioneers who have raised alarms about potential risks, and the CEO of an AI company deeply committed to safety and alignment with human interests.
Arvind Narayanan: A voice against AI bias
Among these luminaries is Arvind Narayanan, a distinguished University computer science professor. Narayanan has been a vocal critic of the inherent biases within AI systems. His viral lecture in 2019, titled “How to recognize AI snake oil,” shed light on the flaws in predictive AI technologies, which often produce outputs influenced by human prejudices. Narayanan pointed to AI systems used in job candidate evaluations as an example of how biases can infiltrate AI-driven decision-making.
Narayanan also leads the Princeton Web Transparency and Accountability Project, a vital initiative that seeks to uncover the extent of user data collection by companies and how it is used. In addition, he played a pivotal role in the working group on generative AI organized by the Office of the Dean of the College, Jill Dolan, where they discussed the challenges and potential biases associated with AI.
In an email to The Daily Princetonian, Narayanan emphasized his concerns: “My view is that predictive AI is fundamentally dubious. The reasons why the future is hard to predict are intrinsic and are unlikely to be rectified. Not all predictive AI is snake oil, but when it is marketed in a way that conceals its limitations, it’s a problem.”
Sayash Kapoor: Partner in Advocacy
Sayash Kapoor, a Ph.D. student working under Narayanan, has joined forces with the professor to co-author a forthcoming book titled “AI Snake Oil.” Scheduled for publication in 2024, this book promises to delve deeper into the phenomenon of biased AI and its implications. Kapoor and Narayanan also maintain a popular Substack page of the same name, fostering awareness and dialogue on AI’s challenges.
AI pioneers among Princeton alumni
Three University alumni have also earned spots on the TIME100 AI list for their contributions to the field:
Dario Amodei: CEO of Anthropic
Dario Amodei, a Princeton alumnus, holds the position of CEO at Anthropic, a globally renowned AI lab. Anthropic is known for pioneering “Constitutional AI,” a groundbreaking approach to aligning AI systems with human values through explicit principles. Amodei completed his Ph.D. studies in physics at Princeton, working under the guidance of neuroscience professor Michael Berry and physics professor William Bialek. Before leading Anthropic, he headed the GPT-2 and GPT-3 teams at OpenAI.
Stanford’s Dr. Fei-Fei Li: Champion of Diversity
Princeton alumni Dr. Fei-Fei Li, who graduated from the University in 1999, has played a crucial role in broadening the diversity within AI and computer science. She co-founded AI4ALL, a nonprofit organization that promotes diversity and inclusion initiatives in AI, including high school camps. Dr. Li is also celebrated for her pioneering work in highly accurate AI image-recognition systems. In recent years, she has advocated for substantial government funding to ensure AI technologies’ safe and regulated development.
Eric Schmidt: Addressing AI’s impact on democracy
Eric Schmidt, a Princeton alumnus and former Google CEO, has raised concerns about AI’s rapid transformation of society without adequate regulatory safeguards. Schmidt, now the co-founder of Schmidt Features, worries that AI, particularly the AI underlying many social media platforms, could jeopardize the integrity of political elections by facilitating the spread of misinformation. His insights underscore the urgent need for responsible AI development.
Princeton’s multifaceted contributions to AI ethics
Arvind Narayanan highlights the diverse projects undertaken by University scholars to mitigate AI’s potential harms, including biases and existential risks. These include:
- Professor Aleksandra Korolova’s team investigates discriminatory ad targeting algorithms and potential remedies.
- Postdoctoral fellow Shazeda Ahmed’s ethnographic research on the insular AI safety community and its policy contributions regarding AI and existential risks.
- Professor Olga Russakovsky’s team is renowned for developing advanced computer vision algorithms while actively addressing biases.
- Sayash Kapoor and Arvind Narayanan’s research analyzes the impact of generative AI on social media.
These efforts collectively represent Princeton University’s commitment to addressing ethical concerns surrounding AI technology.
Global recognition for AI leaders
Princeton’s AI luminaries join a distinguished group of global leaders recognized on the TIME100 AI list. Notable figures include Canadian singer and songwriter Grimes and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. TIME’s executive editor, Naina Bajekal, emphasized the list’s focus on industry leaders, innovators, and ethical advocates shaping the AI landscape and addressing pressing social challenges.
As AI continues to evolve and integrate into society, the work of these Princetonians serves as a testament to the importance of ethical responsibility in AI development. Their dedication to addressing biases, risks, and ethical concerns highlights the vital role that academia and industry leaders play in shaping the future of artificial intelligence. Princeton University remains at the forefront of this critical discourse, driving innovation while advocating for responsible AI practices.
