Can I trust Alexa? What is a Trustworthy Smart System

Originally aired October 28, 2020

As AI becomes more pervasive, so does concern over whether it truly reflects human values. Misconceptions about AI’s capabilities erode trust, while uncertainty about which jobs it will affect breeds additional anxiety. This session brings together Microsoft and ASU thought leaders to explore the technology–human interface — examining what it takes to develop and deploy AI responsibly, and how academia, industry, and government must collaborate to build the trust consumers and stakeholders deserve.

Speakers

Andrew Maynard

Director, ASU Risk Innovation Lab; Associate Dean, College of Global Futures, Arizona State University

Prof. Andrew Maynard is Director of the ASU Risk Innovation Lab and Associate Dean in the College of Global Futures. He explores novel ways of understanding and acting on risk from an entrepreneurial and innovation perspective. His book Films from the Future examines ethical and socially responsible innovation through science fiction, and his work helps organizations navigate the risks and responsibilities of emerging technology.

Ben Goertzel

CEO & Founder, SingularityNET; Former Chief Scientist, Hanson Robotics

Ben Goertzel is the CEO and founder of SingularityNET, a project combining artificial intelligence and blockchain to democratize global access to AI. Previously, he served as Chief Scientist at Hanson Robotics — the company that created Sophia the Robot. A pioneer in artificial general intelligence, Goertzel has published widely on AI, cognitive science, and the societal implications of machine intelligence.

David Aronchick

Head of Open Source Machine Learning Strategy, Microsoft

David Aronchick leads Open Source Machine Learning Strategy at Microsoft. Previously, he led product management for Kubernetes on behalf of Google, launched Google Kubernetes Engine, and co-founded the Kubeflow project for machine learning operations. He has also worked at Amazon and Chef, and co-founded three startups — bringing deep experience in open-source AI infrastructure and enterprise technology to the question of trustworthy machine intelligence.

Suchi Gopal

CEO, ESGAnalytics.Ai; Professor, Boston University

Suchi Gopal is the CEO of ESGAnalytics.Ai, which applies spatial ESG-enriched and AI-powered analysis for investment asset outlook and risk assessment. She is also a Professor at Boston University, where she applies spatial analysis to environmental science, public health, and business solutions. Her work bridges academic research and practical applications of AI and geospatial data for sustainability decision-making.