Symposium | Artificial Intelligence & The First Amendment: Protecting Free Speech in the AI Era

DATE: June 24, 2024 TIME: TBD LOCATION: AGU | 2000 Florida Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20009 As federal and state policymakers grapple with how to regulate emerging AI technology, there is an urgent need to address the implications of policy proposals on free speech and open discourse. Policymakers around the world have focused on the […]

The Conversation: AI Chatbots Refuse to Produce ‘Controversial’ Output − Why That’s A Free Speech Problem

By Jacob Mchangama and Jordi Calvet-Bademunt Google recently made headlines globally because its chatbot Gemini generated images of people of color instead of white people in historical settings that featured white people. Adobe Firefly’s image creation tool saw similar issues. This led some commentators to complain that AI had gone “woke.” Others suggested these issues resulted from faulty efforts […]

NYU First Amendment Watch: Jacob Mchangama on the First Amendment Implications of Generative AI

By Susanna Granieri The rise of generative artificial intelligence has led to questions about its First Amendment implications — like its use by journalists or its application in defamation law — but it remains unclear how the nation’s courts will consider its potential impacts on the marketplace of ideas. The technology itself does not have rights, […]

Report: Freedom of Expression in Generative AI – A Snapshot of Content Policies

Download the report   By Jacob Mchangama and Jordi Calvet-Bademunt Summary Anyone who has tested generative AI with slightly controversial issues is now familiar with expressions such as “I’m unable to help you with that” (Google’s Gemini). Or “I’m not able to generate content that takes a stand on controversial historical or political issues” (Inflection’s […]

TIME: The Future of Censorship Is AI-Generated

By Jacob Mchangama and Jules White The brave new world of Generative AI has become the latest battleground for U.S. culture wars. Google issued an apology after anti-woke X-users, including Elon Musk, shared examples of Google’s chatbot Gemini refusing to generate images of white people—including historical figures—even when specifically prompted to do so. Gemini’s insistence on prioritizing diversity […]

Symposium – AI & Digital Regulation: Impact on Human Rights and Freedom of Expression

In recent years, the European Union has adopted a set of ground-breaking laws that will change how the digital sector operates. If 2022 brought us the Digital Services Act and the Digital Markets Act, 2024 will be the year of the Artificial Intelligence Act. These laws, along with others like the General Data Protection Regulation, […]

Symposium on AI, Free Speech, and Human Rights – Key Takeaways

On October 12 and 13, 2023, The Future of Free Speech (FFS) and Vanderbilt University brought together in Nashville, TN, thought leaders, researchers, activists, and industry professionals from around the world to discuss the implications of emerging Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology for freedom of expression and access to information. The event’s title was Symposium on […]

WKRN: Vanderbilt scholars analyze role of AI in hate speech

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — As artificial intelligence (AI) expands its impact on the world and online, scholars at Vanderbilt University are discussing ways to use the system to combat hate speech. Scholars within the Vanderbilt community along with researchers, free speech, and human rights activists and lawyers are taking part in a two-day symposium on AI and […]

Symposium on AI, Free Speech and Human Rights

Oct. 12-13, 2023  |  Nashville, TN The Future of Free Speech Project and Vanderbilt University will host an event to explore the dynamic intersection of generative AI, free speech and human rights within the rapidly evolving landscape of artificial intelligence advancements. Sing up for online participation About the Symposium The Future of Free Speech Project […]