The Symposium program is designed to
stimulate collective thinking about AIxAI as a sociotechnical system
&
apply the principles of design justice to begin figuring out collaborative strategy for ensuring that communication needs are satisfied.
AIxAI = Automatic Interpreting by Artificial Intelligence
Designing The Best AIxAI System: Technological Quality for AIxAI
TECHNOLOGY TRACK, Saturday April 20, 2024
The Technology Track will emphasize one half of the ‘equation’ of sociotechnical systems. Understanding the capabilities and limitations of contemporary sign language recognition technology is essential to being able to effectively evaluate the risks and rewards of automated interpreting by artificial intelligence (AIxAI). Knowledge of the risks and rewards is critical for legislative regulation. Because the risks are great, federal regulation is required. Because the rewards are also great, deep dialogue is necessary to negotiate the right balance of consumer/citizen safety and entrepreneurial license.
*All times U.S. Eastern Standard.
9:00am Continental Breakfast and Schmoozing (in-person only)
10:00am Orientation (welcome + why sociotechnical systems)
10:15am KEYNOTE: Aashaka Desai (Title and description forthcoming)
11:30am #DeafSafeAI Report from the Advisory Group on AI and Sign Language Interpreting
12:30pm Working Lunch (breakouts in person; google form online)
1:30pm Overview of AI Concepts, Tim Riker
1:45pm AI, Sign Languages, and Sociotechnical Systems (Roundtable Conversation)
Professor Raja Kushalnagar, Director, Information Technology Program, School of Science, Gallaudet University
Alex Lu, Senior Researcher, Microsoft Research New England
Spencer Montan, Associate Director, Center on Access Technology, Rochester Institute of Technology
Christian Vogler, Director, Technology Access Program, Gallaudet University
Moderator: Jeff Shaul, Developer, GoSign.AI
Researchers, educators, and trainers in academia discuss how AIxAI research and education can ensure greater understanding of the impact of this technology on stakeholders, centering the user experience of diverse Deaf consumers. What is the role of academia in pushing the boundaries of what is possible in the safe, fair and ethical roll out of AIxAI. From a sociotechnical systems perspective, how could AIxAI impact society in a way that benefits or harms Deaf communities. Are there roles for sign language studies, interpreting education programs, Deaf Studies programs, linguistics, and other fields? How can transdisciplinary collaboration occur in a way that produces gains for diverse Deaf communities.
3:15pm Open Q&A Conversation
How Humans Influence, and are Influenced By, the Design of Technology: Social Aspects of AIxAI
SOCIAL TRACK, Saturday afternoon and Sunday, April 20-21, 2024
The Social Track highlights the other half of the ‘equation’ of sociotechnical systems.
Findings of the qualitative #DeafSafeAI discourse analysis about AIxAI yielded two, interrelated, critical social impact areas. In this track we set aside concerns about the “readiness” of general h/Hearing culture to truly embrace fairness and ethics to, instead, harness Deaf readiness and expertise in designing safety and equity into AIxAI. By focusing on the critical social impact area of “results & outcomes,” participants begin to imagine measurable short-term results that have the best chance of leading to long-term sociocultural goals (such as preservation of language and culture, broader acceptance of diverse modalities of communication, and embrace of plurilingual communication skills as essential to sustainable democracy). Clear descriptions of short-term quality measurements are necessary for federal regulation to have enforceability. Clear vision of what AIxAI interactions should ‘feel like’ and generate in material terms for participants sets the bar for ultimate outcomes. These outcomes become the social ‘pole’ of sociotechnical design with the capabilities and limitations of technology’ at the other end, and become the guiding light for when, where, how and whom is designated accountable in federal legislation regulating AIxAI.
SATURDAY
4:00pm
Creating AIxAI Standards for Language Services and Interpreter Agencies
Eileen Forestal, PhD, Conference of Interpreter Trainers
Carola E Morton, Interpreting SAFE AI Task Force, ASTM, ISO
Silvia Muturi, Hali Halesi (Kenya)
Ryan Shephard, LinguaBee
Paul Tracy, Partners Interpreting
Moderator: Nina Tran
5:30pm Group Reflection Activity
SUNDAY
9:00am Continental Breakfast and Schmoozing (in-person only)
10:00am Welcome + Review
10:15am KEYNOTE: Teresa Blankmeyer Burke, “Deaf Flourishing, Artificial Intelligence, and Automated Interpreting”
As the age of artificial intelligence dawns, a flurry of ethical and philosophical questions emerge for the signing Deaf community. What are the potential impacts of AI use on the signing Deaf community? What ethical and existential concerns are presented by automated interpreting by AI? How can Deaf people as consumers of interpreting services respond to the challenges posed by automated interpreting by AI? What Deaf-gains emerge from the use of automated interpreting by AI? How might automated interpreting by AI influence Deaf flourishing? In this talk, Professor Teresa Blankmeyer Burke, Ph.D. provides a philosophical and ethical critique of the possibilities of automated interpreting by AI using as a springboard the responses from the Deaf community provided in the Deaf-Safe AI report by the Advisory Group on AI and Sign Language Interpreting.
11:30am Roundtable: Advocating for Deaf Futures
Brianne Burger, Deaf in Government
Star Grieser, CEO Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf
AnnMarie Killian, CEO, TDIforAccess
Vianney Sierralta, ABOGADO (Lawyer), Chile
Suryo Sahetapy, Visiting Lecturer, Rochester Institute for Technology, social media influencer (Indonesia)
12:30pm Working Lunch
1:15pm Summarizing Activity and Next Steps