My research is qualitative and interdisciplinary. I combine theories and methods from social sciences, humanities, management, and engineering to produce unique frameworks and actionable insights.
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The Ethics & Governance of AI Value Chains
Years: 2020 – Present
The development, use, and governance of AI systems involves complex resource input and output activities that are distributed across global value chains. This project investigates the ethical concerns and governance implications associated with the value chains of various AI systems.
Outputs:
- Research paper: “Valuing value chains: On Canadian AI regulation, co-governance, and the scope of AI value chains” (2023)
- Lecture slides: “The governance of AI systems” (2023)
- Research paper & research summary: “The ethics of AI value chains” (2023)
- Seminar slides: “The ethics of AI value chains: Implications for policy & practice” (2022)
- Research paper & research summary: “The ethics of AI business practices: A review of 47 AI ethics guidelines” (2022)
The Governance of AI in Canada
Years: 2019 – Present
As the first country to launch a national AI strategy and as an early champion of many AI policies and ethics statements, Canada has developed a uniquely innovative system of AI governance. This project investigates a wide range of Canadian AI governance initiatives and identifies opportunities for strengthening Canada’s overall system of AI governance.
Outputs:
- White paper: “Comments on Guide on the use of Generative AI” (2023)
- Research paper: “Valuing value chains: On Canadian AI regulation, co-governance, and the scope of AI value chains” (2023)
- White paper: “Comments on Canadian Guardrails for Generative AI – Code of Practice” (2023)
- Policy brief: “Generative AI systems: Impacts on artists & creators and related gaps in the Artificial Intelligence and Data Act” (2023)
- Research paper: “The governance of artificial intelligence in Canada: Findings and opportunities from a review of 84 AI governance initiatives” (2023)
- Conference slides: “AI Governance and Worker Protections in Canada” (2022)
- White paper: “Comments on the 3rd Review of the Directive on Automated Decision-making” (2022)
- Essay: “Public service, public-as-a-service, and public self-service: The case of Sidewalk Toronto” (2022)
- Opinion article in The Globe and Mail: “Once a promising leader, Canada’s artificial-intelligence strategy is now a fragmented laggard” (2022)
- Research paper: “Emerging national artificial intelligence innovation systems in Canada and China” (2020)
- Conference poster & conference abstract: “AI governance systems: Ontological explorations in the Canadian context” (2020)
The Fluidity of “AI”
Years: 2020 – Present
How the meaning of “artificial intelligence” is interpreted by persons, groups, and organizations has cascading effects on the development, use, and governance of AI systems. This project explores those cascading effects and their implications for AI ethics, practice, and policy.
Outputs:
- Essay: “Artificial intelligence in the interregnum” (2023)
- Conference slides: “The ontological crisis in AI: Normative positions, interpretive frames, & future directions” (2023)
- Book chapter: “Queering intelligence: A theory of intelligence as performance and a critique of individual and artificial intelligence” (2023)
- Conference slides: “The new ontologies of AI: A dilemma for AI governance” (2022)
- Conference slides: “Intelligence as performance” (2021)
Service Systems Analysis Framework
Years: 2016-2019
Research Questions:
- What theories and methods of service system analysis have been discussed in the recent literature?
- How might existing analysis frameworks be synthesized, improved, and applied to solving system design problems?
Activities:
- Systematic review and synthesis of literature on service science, engineering, management, and design.
- Development of a multilayer framework for service system analysis.
- Application of the service system analysis framework to a specific business case.
Outputs:
- Book chapter: “A multilayer framework for service systems analysis.” (2019)
- Research paper: “Service systems analysis methods: A systematic literature review.” (2017)
Collaborators:
- Kelly Lyons & Michael Cheng
Information Audit & Evaluation Framework
Years: 2016-2018
Research Questions:
- How might information auditing frameworks be synthesized with information management evaluation frameworks?
- What components would be required of a synthesized information auditing and evaluation framework, and how might such a framework be applied in practice?
Activities:
- Systematic review and synthesis of literature on information auditing and information management evaluation.
- Development of a synthesized framework for information auditing and evaluation.
- Application of the information auditing and evaluation framework to projects at the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, University of Toronto, and Toronto Metropolitan University.
Outputs:
- Research paper: “Revisiting the information audit: A systematic literature review and synthesis” (2017)
- Research paper: “iVal: An information evaluation framework for knowledge workers” (2016)
Collaborators:
- Chun Wei Choo on “Revisiting the information audit: A systematic literature review and synthesis”
Workforce Services Design & Innovation
Years: 2018
Research Questions:
- What are the best practices for service design in Ontario’s employment services & training sector?
- How can the services delivered by Ontario’s employment services & training sector be improved?
Outputs:
- Research report: “Employment Sector Council’s Common Assessment Process: A case study of a collaborative community approach to service delivery, access, and excellence.” (2018)
- Research report: “Intergenerational healing and growth: A case study of the Aboriginal Skills Advancement Program.” (2018)
Collaborators:
- Cayley Bower on “Employment Sector Council’s Common Assessment Process”
- S. Kathleen Bailey on “Intergenerational healing and growth”
Last updated November 24, 2023