Navigating the Future of AI Governance
February 9th, 2024 12:00PM -1:00PM
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As Artificial Intelligence continues to shape our world, it becomes imperative to establish ethical frameworks, regulations, and policies that ensure its responsible development and deployment. Tech leaders and policy experts face an urgent dilemma to strike a balance between fostering innovation and safeguarding against potential risks to the expanding users of AI tools and the potential ramifications of AI-generated content.
Join the World Affairs Council and Northeastern University on February 9 for a panel discussion to explore the ethical, legal, economic, and social implications of AI advancements, as well as the complexities and challenges of governing Artificial Intelligence. The panel features voices representing both the public and private sector leaders helping shape these critical discussions.
Lunch is included.
About The Speakers
Dr. Joseph Williams leads ICT sector development at Commerce after serving as the Seattle Director of the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory from 2019 to 2022. He held the ICT Sector Lead role from 2016 to 2019, during which time the state experienced unprecedented economic growth in its world-renowned tech sector. The sector accounts for over 9% of the state’s workforce and nearly 22% of the state’s economy – the highest rate in the nation.
Dr. Williams most recently was the global lead partner for the cybersecurity practice at Infosys Consulting, and he is currently a visiting fellow at the National Security Institute. During his previous tenure at Commerce, he was appointed as an assembly program fellow at Harvard’s Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society, where he worked with others on developing an AI ethics framework. A former executive at Microsoft and Sun Microsystems, Dr. Williams also served as the Dean of the School of Business, Government, and Economics at Seattle Pacific University.
Pavan Chima is Head of International AI Policy for Amazon’s consumer-facing businesses, as well as policy coordinator for Amazon’s Digital and Devices businesses. In this role, he drives Amazon’s policy work for these businesses across Europe, the Middle East, APAC, and India. Prior to joining Amazon in 2022, Pavan spent over a decade serving in the British Diplomatic Service, most recently as UK Deputy Ambassador to Libya. He has served in British Embassies across the world, including Tripoli, Brussels, Kabul, Washington DC, and New York. Pavan holds a BSc in Banking and International Finance from the Bayes Business School and an MSc in International Public Policy from University College London.
Nirav S. Desai is an entrepreneur, investor, and strategist focused on the enterprise adoption of emerging technology to address big problems. Through his company, consulting, and support to several startups he brings efficiency to how organizations source, sell, implement, and invest in innovation.He keeps on the cutting edge of enterprise technology through his various affiliations including TechStars Seattle, the TechStars/Amazon Alexa startup accelerators, and the University of Washington’s CoMotion Labs. He serves as an Innovation Co-Chair for the Pacific Northwest Economic Region with a focus on helping states embrace disruption and position for the future economy. He is an Affiliate Associate Professor in the University of Washington Department of Electrical Engineering and lives in Seattle.
Amanda Craig Deckard is the Senior Director for Responsible AI Public Policy at Microsoft. Previously, she led Microsoft’s Global Cybersecurity Policy team, which advances policies that enhance the security of cloud computing, connected devices, artificial intelligence, and supply chains and strengthens operational risk management.
Prior to joining Microsoft, Amanda was a fellow of the Eric T. Werner Global Cybersecurity Policy Advancement program and focused on cybersecurity and intellectual property issues at the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Cyber Affairs and Google. Amanda has a BS in Journalism and International Studies from Northwestern University, an MSc in Refugee and Forced Migration Studies from the University of Oxford, and a JD from Indiana University.
About The Moderator
Gabrielle Fitzgerald is the Founder and CEO of The Panorama Group. She has spent her career working in politics, policy, and philanthropy—and Panorama works at the intersection of all these fields. The Panorama Group is made up of three entities: Panorama Global, Panorama Strategy, and Panorama Action. Gabrielle created Panorama to serve as a platform for social change, with a mission of maximizing social impact by partnering with visionary leaders to co-develop solutions with audacious thinking and bold action.
Prior to founding Panorama, Gabrielle spent more than a decade working in philanthropy, serving as the Director of Global Program Advocacy at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, plus a year managing the $100m Ebola program at the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation. Earlier in her career, she led the public affairs strategy for HIV/AIDS at the U.S. Agency for International Development and served as the Communications Director for the U.S. Committee for Refugees. She also served as a speechwriter for President Clinton at The White House.
Amazon is an underwriting sponsor of all World Affairs Council Community Programs.