Empowering Communities in AI Development with Vilas Dhar, President & Trustee, Patrick J. McGovern Foundation | EP 15

In this episode of the Responsible AI Report, Vilas Dhar, President & Trustee of the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, discusses the critical role of philanthropy in shaping responsible AI development amidst rapid technological changes. He emphasizes the need for inclusive participation from communities, the importance of global governance, and the necessity of education in empowering policymakers and citizens alike. Vilas highlights the urgency of ensuring accountability and transparency in AI systems, advocating for a future where technology serves the common good.

Takeaways

• Philanthropy can help ensure equitable AI development.
• Communities should be active participants in shaping AI.
• Global governance requires shared capacity and public investment.
• Education is crucial for understanding and regulating AI.
• Policymakers need to envision a technological future for all.
• Citizens hold power in advocating for responsible AI.
• Public movements are essential for accountability in AI.
• The future of technology should align with common welfare.
• Curiosity and engagement are key to digital literacy.
• The responsibility for a better AI future lies with us all.

Learn more at:

https://www.mcgovern.org/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/vilasdhar/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/mcgovern-foundation/

Vilas Dhar is a leading advocate on AI for public purpose and a global expert on artificial intelligence (AI) policy. He serves as President and Trustee of the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, a $1.5 billion philanthropy advancing AI and data solutions for a sustainable and equitable future. He champions a new digital compact that prioritizes individuals and communities in the development of new products, inspires economic and social opportunities, and empowers the most vulnerable. 

Appointed by UN Secretary-General António Guterres to the High-Level Advisory Body on AI, Vilas is also the U.S. Government Nominated Expert to the Global Partnership on AI. He serves on the OECD Expert Working Group on AI Futures, the Global Future Council on AI at the World Economic Forum, and Stanford's Advisory Council on Human-Centered AI. He is Chair of the Center for Trustworthy Technology. His LinkedIn Learning course, Ethics in the Age of Generative AI, is the most-viewed AI ethics course globally, reaching over 300,000 learners.

Vilas holds a J.D. from NYU School of Law, an M.P.A. from Harvard Kennedy School, a dual Bachelor's degrees in Biomedical Engineering and Computer Science from the University of Illinois and is pursuing doctoral studies at the University of Birmingham.