Advancing Community-Led AI for the Public Good
Bringing the community voice to the conversation about responsible AI adoption. This working session connects community institutions with researchers, public leaders, companies, and funders to advance equitable AI for the public good.
Access is not enough. Community institutions need the resources to deploy AI sustainably and responsibly. This sessions aims to connect communities with the necessary support for responsible implementation and help shape a public guide for adoption.
Institutions need practical ways to evaluate AI tools and ensure they are deployed responsibly without becoming expensive to maintain. They also need to address the inevitable hiccups that arise when deploying new technologies. Our session aims to develop long-term solutions and resources for these challenges.
We should aim to strengthen local owners by providing them with the necessary resources and knowledge to implement AI solutions independently. Technical support should not create dependency but rather empower communities to take ownership of their AI initiatives. Our session will explore ways to provide this sustainable support.
AI is not a universal solution, and it should not be blindly applied to every problem. We need to identify the specific challenges where AI can provide meaningful benefits and those where it may not be appropriate. Our session will focus on discerning these distinctions and guiding communities in making informed decisions about AI adoption.
Bring attention to the practical challenges and needs of the communities you serve.
Contribute technical judgment to problems defined by institutions, allowing for a more nuanced understanding of the issues at hand.
Offer expertise, infrastructure, mentorship, credits, and expertise to support community initiatives.
Fund community participation, accessibility, and the implementation of community-driven AI solutions.
Contribute institutional perspectives to the discussion, potentially influencing policy and decision-making.
Contribute to how AI is taught and used in educational settings, ensuring that it is integrated in a way that is beneficial and responsible.
The gathering will focus on several key areas where community institutions can benefit from AI, while also addressing the challenges and risks associated with its implementation.
Helping students, educators, families, older adults, and community organizations build the judgment needed to use AI safely and meaningfully.
Exploring how AI might make public information more understandable, multilingual, and accessible without creating new privacy risks.
Examining how small organizations can reduce administrative burden and improve services using AI without requiring an internal AI team.
The process begins weeks ahead of the session, and the gathering is designed to be highly interactive.
Community institutions surface the challenges and constraints they face.
Researchers, leaders, companies, funders, and practitioners identify where their expertise or resources can help.
Participants develop practical pathways to address the challenges identified.
Interested participants establish concrete contributions and partnerships.
The initiative documents lessons learned and shares useful resources publicly.
Intended outcomes
A public Community AI Implementation Guide
Practical project concepts shaped by community institutions
New relationships between community hosts and implementation partners
Principles for responsible AI adoption in community institutions
A network of committed stakeholders ready to collaborate on AI initiatives
Written expressions of interest or commitments
Transparent updates after the gathering
Participate
For schools, libraries, nonprofits, public agencies, educators, and community groups.
Tell us about a practical need service challenge your institution is navigating.
For researchers, technologists, companies, foundations, public officials, and advisors.
Tell us what expertise, funding, infrastructure, policy perspective, or institutional support you may be able to contribute.