RMAIIG AI Ethics SIG

Can we trust an algorithm to weigh freedom, risk, and justice? From predictive policing and risk-assessment in bail hearings to AI-drafted contracts, machine learning is reshaping our courts and raising tough questions about fairness, transparency, and accountability.
Join us for a lively, accessible exploration of:

• Bias baked in: How do historical crime data and skewed datasets warp AI judgments?
• Opacity vs. due process: What does it mean when a “black-box” model influences your fate?
• Who’s responsible?: Judges, developers, or vendors—who bears ethical (or legal) liability when AI gets it wrong?
• Safeguards & oversight: Which policies and technical audits can help ensure AI serves justice, not injustice?

Whether you’re a lawyer curious about tech, a developer exploring legal AI, a policy wonk, or an engaged citizen, you’ll find plenty to debate. Bring a case study you’ve read, a question you’ve pondered, or simply your passion for fair systems.
Why Attend?

• Network with local technologists, legal professionals, and ethics thinkers
• Dive into real-world examples and latest research
• Walk away with practical insights and further reading to help shape responsible AI in law

What happens to our sense of purpose when AI takes over the work we once valued? As companies pilot four-day weeks and automation reshapes entire industries, societies worldwide are rethinking what “work” means and who deserves to rest. How can we craft policies and cultures that honor human dignity in an increasingly automated future?
Join us for a curiosity-driven conversation, where we’ll explore:

• AI-driven displacement: Which roles are most at risk and how do we balance productivity with social well-being?
• Redefining “work”: Does a paycheck still define a person’s worth, or can we find value beyond traditional labor?
• Universal Basic Income & reduced work weeks: Are these bold experiments the start of a fairer safety net or a moral hazard?
• Reskilling vs. downtime: How do we support lifelong learning without turning it into an endless obligation?
• Social identity & self-worth: What happens to our communities when work becomes optional or obsolete?

Whether you’re a startup leader reimagining your culture, a policy enthusiast, a worker curious about tomorrow, or someone fascinated by the future of society, bring your perspectives, questions, or visions for a post-work world.

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Why Attend?

• Connect with thinkers across tech, economics, and ethics
• Dive into real-world case studies and emerging experiments
• Walk away with practical frameworks and resources for advocacy, policy design, and personal planning

Ethical AI promises safer, fairer technology—but who sets the rules? From the EU’s AI Act to emerging U.S. policies and industry self-regulation, we face a patchwork of standards and priorities. Join us for an open, solution-oriented conversation about:

• A global patchwork: How do the EU, U.S., China, and others differ in their approach to AI ethics and oversight?
• Ethics-washing vs. real safeguards: What separates meaningful accountability from PR spin?
• Who has a seat at the table?: Which voices, governments, big tech, NGOs, or everyday users, are shaping policy, and who’s left out?
• Enforcement in practice: Can audits, certifications, and fines keep pace with rapidly evolving AI systems?
• Proactive vs. reactive frameworks: Should we build ethics into AI from Day One, or wait for problems to emerge?

Whether you’re crafting policy, building AI tools, or simply passionate about responsible tech, you’ll leave with fresh insights into how governance shapes AI’s future and where you can make a difference.

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Why Attend?

• Broaden your network: Connect with technologists, policy wonks, ethicists, and community advocates
• Deepen your understanding: Compare real-world frameworks and their impact on innovation
• Shape the conversation: Discover how you can help bridge the global ethics gap

What happens when a machine becomes more than a tool; when it enters our homes, our hospitals, and our hearts? As caregiving robots and AI-driven companions move from labs into living rooms and nursing wings, we face profound questions about rights, responsibilities, and the nature of care itself.

Join us for an inviting, big-picture conversation where we’ll explore:

• Personhood & Rights: Could, or should, robots ever hold moral or legal rights?
• Designing Dignity: How do we build and deploy carebots that respect privacy, consent, and human agency?
• Emotional Bonds: What are the psychological impacts when people turn to machines for companionship or comfort?
• Accountability & Liability: Who’s to blame if a care robot causes harm: manufacturer, programmer, or caregiver?
• Equity & Access: Might robots reduce care shortages, or will they widen gaps between those who can afford them and those who cannot?

Whether you’re a roboticist, ethicist, caregiver, policy thinker, or simply curious, bring your questions, your favorite case studies, or just your open mind.

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Why Attend?

• Cross-disciplinary dialogue: Connect with technologists, healthcare professionals, ethicists, and concerned citizens
• Real-world insights: Discuss live examples from eldercare bots to therapeutic companions
• Next steps: Leave with practical frameworks, resources, and inspiration for shaping humane, responsible robotics