Recent News

What is ChatGPT and what can it be used for?

Penn State artificial intelligence experts offer perspectives on some of the most frequently asked questions.

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 IST assistant professor Shomir Wilson receives NSF CAREER Award

IST assistant professor Shomir Wilson receives NSF CAREER Award

Shomir Wilson, assistant professor in the Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology, is the recipient of a Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) award from the National Science Foundation in recognition of his work, “Large-Scale Exploration and Interpretation of Consumer-Oriented Legal Documents.”  

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Robotic hands pull apart bars of a prison cell

Meet the Jailbreakers Hypnotizing ChatGPT Into Bomb-Building

If there’s one rule about rules, it’s that they’re bound to be broken. That goes for life, law, and, on a much more specific note, ChatGPT.

In fact, that rule may go doubly for ChatGPT. As the chatbot’s popularity has ballooned, so too has the uncontrollable urge to make OpenAI’s language model do things it shouldn’t — for example, telling you step-by-step how to build explosives.

In this story from Inverse, CSRAI director S. Shyam Sundar offers his perspective on who is responsible for ensuring a safe experience on ChatGPT.

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Regulating AI: 3 experts explain why it’s difficult to do and important to get right

Given the potential for widespread harm as technology companies roll out new AI systems and test them on the public, policymakers are faced with the task of determining whether and how to regulate the emerging technology. The Conversation asked three experts on technology policy to explain why regulating AI is such a challenge – and why it’s so important to get it right.

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 Center now offering social responsibility consultations for AI researchers

Center now offering social responsibility consultations for AI researchers

Penn State’s Center for Socially Responsible Artificial Intelligence is now offering social responsibility consultations to University researchers engaged in AI-related research. 

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Center issues seed grant call for 'Big Ideas' in socially responsible AI

Center issues seed grant call for 'Big Ideas' in socially responsible AI

Penn State’s Center for Socially Responsible Artificial Intelligence is inviting short proposals for a special off-cycle round of "Big Idea Grant" seed funding earmarked for early concepts and research that has transformational potential. Applications will be accepted through May 1, with projects expected to start on July 1 and last for up to two years.

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CSRAI sponsoring workshop on AI for Social Good at AAAI Conference

The Center for Socially Responsible Artificial Intelligence (CSRAI) at Penn State is pleased to announce that it is sponsoring the International Workshop on AI for Social Good on February 14, 2023, during the prestigious AAAI Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Washington D.C.

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Center for Socially Responsible AI awards seed funding to 6 projects

The Penn State Center for Socially Responsible Artificial Intelligence recently announced the results of its third seed funding competition. The center awarded $145,000 to advance six interdisciplinary research projects that feature researchers from eight colleges and institutes.

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A team of researchers suggest that smart speakers — like Alexa and Siri — that demonstrate active listening cues might be able to serve a therapeutic role for users.

People open up more to smart speakers that listen actively

 Adding random, short expressions of understanding in a conversation may turn smart speakers, such as Alexa and Siri, into robot therapists that allow people to open up more without violating their privacy, according to a team of researchers.

 

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A man in a checkered shirt holding a phone that is using facial recognition software.

The White House’s ‘AI Bill of Rights’ outlines five principles to make artificial intelligence safer, more transparent and less discriminatory

Christopher Dancy, Harold and Inge Marcus Industrial and Manufacturing Career Development Associate Professor in the Penn State College of Engineering, shares his perspective on the Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights, which was recently released by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.

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AI language models show bias against people with disabilities, study finds

AI language models show bias against people with disabilities, study finds

The algorithms that drive natural language processing technology — a type of artificial intelligence that allows machines to use text and spoken words in many different applications — often have tendencies that could be offensive or prejudiced toward individuals with disabilities, according to researchers at the Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology.

 

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Center for Socially Responsible AI accepting seed funding proposals

Center for Socially Responsible AI accepting seed funding proposals

Penn State’s Center for Socially Responsible Artificial Intelligence is inviting short proposals for its annual seed funding program. Applications will be accepted through Nov. 1, with projects expected to start in spring 2023 and last for up to two years.

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People who distrust fellow humans show greater trust in artificial intelligence

People who distrust fellow humans show greater trust in artificial intelligence

A person’s distrust in humans predicts they will have more trust in artificial intelligence’s ability to moderate content online, according to a recently published study. The findings, the researchers say, have practical implications for both designers and users of AI tools in social media.

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Students encouraged to apply for AI center affiliate status

Students encouraged to apply for AI center affiliate status

Penn State’s Center for Socially Responsible Artificial Intelligence is accepting applications for its Student Affiliates Program. Graduate and undergraduate students from all Penn State campuses are eligible to apply. Applications will remain open indefinitely and can be submitted online.

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Users trust AI as much as humans for flagging problematic content

Users trust AI as much as humans for flagging problematic content

Social media users may trust artificial intelligence — AI — as much as human editors to flag hate speech and harmful content, according to researchers. 

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