Expert on the social implications of AI, Minderoo Research Professor at New York University, founder of Google’s Open Research Group, and co-founder of the AI Now Institute
North America
Meredith Whittaker is the Minderoo Research Professor at New York University. She is also the founder of the Google Open Research Group and co-founder of the AI Now Institute.
With regards to her research and focus, Meredith Whittaker looks at the social implications of AI and the tech industry responsible for it. Her particular emphasis is on the power and the political economy that drives the commercialisation of computational technology.
Meredith Whittaker worked at Google for more than ten years before taking up her position at New York University. Her time there saw her lead product and engineering teams, found Google’s Open Research Group, and co-found M-Lab. M-Lab is a globally distributed network measurement platform that provides the world’s largest source of data on internet performance. She also worked on privacy and security issues and helped provide funding, strategy, and supports to efforts that provided privacy from both governments and large tech companies.
While at Google, Meredith Whittaker also helped lead labor organizing. She was one of the core organisers to push back against the company’s military contracts, their limited response to AI and its potentially harmful effects, and was a central organiser of the Google Walkout.
These days Meredith Whittaker continues working with organisers in technology with the belief that collective actions are necessary to ensure meaningful tech accountability. This is especially the case with concentrated industrial power.
Meredith Whittaker has, throughout her career, advised the White House, the FCC, the City of New York, the European Parliament, and many diverse governments and civil society organizations on AI, internet policy, measurements, privacy, and security.
As a keynote speaker, Meredith Whittaker has a vast knowledge of all things relating to AI and its various pros and cons. She lives in the USA and presents in English.