Multidisciplinary Conference Considers Accountable AI for Social Impact
Social work, public health and tech leaders balance social concerns and technological possibilities at Conference on AI for Health and Social Equity.
New York, NY – “The truth is, since at least the invention of Gutenberg’s printing press, meaningful innovation has hit opposition, as it should,” said NYU President Linda G. Mills in welcoming leaders in social work, public health, technology and public policy to the AI for Health & Social Equity Conference at NYU. “Anything that has the possibility to change the world needs to be seriously engaged with, talked out, viewed from every angle. And there’s no better place to do that than in a university.”
The day-long event—sponsored by NYU Silver and our Constance and Martin Silver Center on Data Science and Social Equity (C+M Center)—focused on the ethical challenges of AI, its inherent lack of virtue, and its potential to shape a more equitable future. Presenters from across disciplines shared best practices for AI and highlighted responsible applications that address pressing social and health equity issues.
The Intersection of Social Work and AI
NYU Silver Dean Michael A. Lindsey noted the significance of the polarized social context in which the conference took place. At the same time global society is grappling with the far-reaching effects of COVID-19 and differing visions for the future, it is also witnessing the explosive rise of AI, which has the potential to revolutionize healthcare and social services.
“Our mission, then, is clear,” said Dean Lindsey. “It is not enough to watch from the sidelines while AI’s influence grows…I know that following the lodestar of our profession’s core values will help us to ensure that all communities are included in this revolution, and not subject to it.”
C+M Center Director and Constance and Martin Silver Endowed Professor in Data Science and Prevention Ruopeng An echoed that belief. “Social work’s ethics and commitment to human dignity and social justice are superpowers for responsible AI,” he said. “Compassion isn’t hard-coded in AI algorithms and social workers can fix that by adding an empathy dimension.”
Nobel Laureate: Leveraging Data Science for Healthcare Breakthroughs
The keynote address by MIT Professor and 2021 Nobel Laureate in Economics, Joshua Angrist, highlighted the power of data science to illuminate new possibilities for health and social services. “We are extraordinarily fortunate,” said Dr. An in his introduction of Dr. Angrist, “that he joins us today to share how two of the data science’s most powerful tools—instrumental variables and clinical trials—can be combined to improve all of human life.”
Dr. Angrist said his instrumental variables analysis yields more accurate results from randomized clinical trials. The approach, he said, “solves the problems that come up in messy trials where treatment received is not the treatment randomly assigned.”
He demonstrated the application of instrumental variables analysis to results of trials addressing treatment of ischemic heart disease and screening for prevention of colorectal cancer. In both cases, the instrumental variables analysis found effects that were masked by traditional analysis.
AI Policy, Technology, and Ethics in New York State
Government plays a critical role in directing AI’s transformative potential for social good. New York State Senator and Chair of the State Senate’s Internet and Technology Committee, Kristen Gonzalez, discussed efforts she is leading in Albany to ensure responsible AI governance that protects New Yorkers. “We want to make sure that we’re continuing innovation but we’re not doing that at the cost of us,” she said. “Regulating the use cases gives us the opportunity to continue innovating and developing technology.”
Toward that end, Senator Gonzalez has introduced legislation, including the Legislative Oversight of Automated Decision-making in Government (LOADinG) Act. Signed into law by Governor Kathy Hochul in December 2024, that act regulates state agencies’ use of automated decision-making systems and AI techniques.
Earlier this year, Senator Gonzalez introduced the New York AI Act to ensure that consumers are protected when companies use generative AI or automated decision-making systems to make determinations that significantly affect New Yorkers’ finances, health, civil liberties, or life path. “We’re at the start of what will be a very long, very transformational journey for generative AI,” said Senator Gonzalez. “This bill ensures that we’re centering people first.”
Senator Gonzalez, who has a background in the technology industry, called on conference participants to share their insights with her, particularly since some of AI’s most consequential and high-risk use cases are related to health and social equity. “Now is the time for all of us to be having this conversation and defining our collective vision.”
Countering Ethical Issues and Showcasing Success
How AI shapes decisions that affect individual lives and the broader society was the focus of a panel on algorithmic biases and data ethics, moderated by Dr. An. Merlin Chowkwanyun, Donald H. Gemson Assistant Professor at Columbia University, spoke about Toxic Docs, a data transparency and digital preservation project he leads. Charlton McIlwain, Vice Provost for Faculty Engagement, Pathways, & Public Interest Technology at NYU addressed the relationship between technology, people, and communities that we hope AI and other technologies will serve. Julia Stoyanovich, Associate Professor and Director of the Center for Responsible AI at NYU Tandon, discussed her work to ensure AI doesn’t reinforce biases and is used in a way that is socially sustainable. All highlighted the need for vigilance and accountability if we want AI to support—not undermine—our communities.
In a panel moderated by Professor and Associate Vice Provost for Faculty Initiatives and Global Engagement at NYU, Niyati Parekh, faculty from NYU's School of Global Public Health, Tandon School of Engineering, Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, and Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences presented concrete examples of using responsible AI to address pressing health equity issues. Daniel Neill, Professor of Computer Science, Public Service, and Urban Analytics, explained how he is leveraging machine learning to identify emergent public health concerns and more precisely target interventions. Rumi Chunara, Associate Professor of Biostatistics, Computer Science, and Engineering, presented her work using computational and statistical approaches to improve population-level public health. José A. Pagán, Chair and Professor of the Department of Public Health Policy and Management shared his work using data to reduce cardiovascular health inequities.
C+M Center’s Impact in Action
Established in June 2021 by a gift from Dr. Constance and Martin Silver, the C+M Center has the vision to chart a shared path between AI and empathy and the mission to leverage data science for social change and equity. Dr. An outlined several of the center’s initiatives including a forthcoming journal, Translational Data Science for Social Impact, and books on AI in social work and university AI adoption. In addition, the Center has funded nine projects to date that apply data science-related technologies and approaches to achieve large-scale impact on pressing social problems.
In a series of Lightning Talks, NYU Silver faculty and doctoral students presented five cutting-edge research projects supported by the C+M Center. In just five minutes each, Drs. Doris F. Chang, Neil Guterman, Nicholas Lanzieri, Anne Dempsey, and Victoria Stanhope as well as PhD student Brianna Amos shared the innovative ways they have used AI to address mental health disparities, child maltreatment prevention, and more.
During a lunch-time poster session, the next generation of data science innovators—NYU Silver doctoral students Brianna Amos, Dget Downey, Jingyi Huang, Xixi Kang, and Aaron Rodwin—presented their work on topics ranging from suicidality and disinformation to mental health and equitable service delivery.
Looking Ahead
In his concluding remarks, Dean Lindsey urged participants to continue the work to harness AI for social good. “Today’s conversations have been a catalyst. Now it’s on all of us—across social work, public health, computer science, economics, engineering, education, and beyond—to continue collaborating, questioning, and leading the development of AI that actively promotes equity and justice for all.”
About NYU Silver School of Social Work
Founded in 1960 and renowned for a strong tradition of excellence in direct social work practice and dedication to social justice, NYU Silver has provided rigorous training to more than 20,000 social work practitioners and leaders in every area of the field, making it the leading destination for students who want to become innovative practitioners at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels of social work practice. The School has four campuses in the heart of New York City, Rockland County, Westchester County, and Shanghai.