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AI Accountability Lab
@aial.ie
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Trinity College Dublin’s Artificial Intelligence Accountability Lab (https://aial.ie/) is founded & led by Dr Abeba Birhane. The lab studies AI technologies & their downstream societal impact with the aim of fostering a greater ecology of AI accountability
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AI Accountability Lab @aial.ie · 17d
The AIAL is looking for a highly driven Post-Doctoral Researcher who can design and implement research that improves transparency and accountability regarding the use of generative AI in public services

Application closes on Dec 02, 2025

More information: aial.ie/hiring/postd...
About AIAL The AI Accountability Lab (AIAL) is a research lab hosted in the ADAPT Research Centre and the School of Computer Science and Statistics in Trinity College Dublin. We are driven by the urgent need to demystify, critically assess, and publicly communicate the operations and functionality of AI systems by looking under the hood as well as their downstream impact on the public with the aim of shaping public knowledge, shifting power, and reserving fundamental rights, freedoms, and autonomy. The AIAL is an innovative lab at the cutting-edge of AI dedicated to greater transparency on the use of AI systems in the public domain and concrete accountability for the downstream societal impact of these technologies. The AIAL operates under the core principle that academic research, particularly research in AI, should be of a high-relevance and utility to the public. Thus, we actively engage and partner with local communities, civil society, and rights groups to ensure our work is grounded in real challenges and remains relevant and useful to these stakeholders. We are deeply committed to ensuring our work contributes to fostering transparency and driving a culture of AI accountability. Academic freedom and autonomy are of utmost importance to us and we take great care to ensure our lab is free from direct conflict of interest or implicit influence or pressure from the industry that we are studying. We are funded by philanthropic organisations such as the MacArthur foundation and European grants. About the role There is currently a growing move by governments worldwide, including the Irish government, to integrate generative AI technologies into public sector operations. However, information on the where, how, why, and when such technologies are being used remains scarce. Without this knowledge, it is difficult to understand, assess, and ensure the integrity of public services. The AIAL seeks to understand this challenge better and to conduct high-quality, high-impact research that helps uphold the principles of transparency, accountability, and equity. To directly tackle this urgent problem, the AIAL is looking for a highly driven Post-Doctoral Researcher who can design and implement research that improves transparency and accountability regarding the use of generative AI in public services. The researcher will particularly focus on uncovering and critically examining the integration, procurement, and governance practices of generative AI in government functions and public service operations. The output of this work is expected to be a public-facing database that acts as a knowledge-base and provides transparency and critical evaluation into the use of generative AI with the aim of expanding public knowledge and feeding into regulations and standards. Applications are invited from suitably qualified candidates for a 2-year, in-person, full-time fixed term position as a Post-Doctoral Researcher at the AIAL. Responsibilities Identify and map public sector organisations and government bodies that are integrating generative AI into internal as well as public-facing processes, in particular where these constitute decision making. The scope for this work will be Ireland in the initial stages Identify similar initiatives with value-aligned researchers/organisations across Europe and establish collaborations with the aim of painting a fuller-picture as well as performing cross-country comparisons and analysis. The appointed candidate will be expected to establish this collaboration to share findings from Ireland and learn from other EU initiatives to develop a pan-EU analysis Develop a public-facing database detailing the use of generative AI in public sectors. The database will provide key information such as modality, model version, vendor information, contractual agreements (if any), known risks, and will also facilitate information such as how it was procured, and where it is being used, for what purpose as well as any prior audits or testing done and main findings Identify and analyse contractual agreements and policies regarding the procurement and use of generative AI in public services. The appointed candidate will be expected to understand the procurement system involving government bodies and technology vendors, and the means to achieve this information where it isn’t readily available – such as through freedom of information requests. The analysis of obtained information will be through the lens of relevant European regulations to identify key information and transparency, accountability and equity concerns Assess the impact of generative AI in decision-making processes in government and the implications for institutional transparency, governance and accountability Requirements Hold a PhD in the following disciplines: computer science, machine learning, artificial intelligence, AI policy research, investigative journalism, management sciences, information systems studies, science and technology studies or cognate disciplines In-depth experience and publication track-record examining governance structures, power asymmetries and EU regulations Demonstrable experience in data visualisation, statistical analysis and a history of working with freedom of information (FoI) requests In-depth knowledge of European legislations and regulations such as the AI Act, DSA, GDPR Comprehensive knowledge (with a publication track record) of the AI audit landscape. Hands on experience with black-box auditing as well as executing qualitative and quantitative audits, particularly of generative AI Self-driven, passionate, and committed to transforming institutional transparency from a theoretical concept to a concrete, operationalisable, and practical mechanism for expanding public knowledge and fostering accountability Ambitious and passionate communicator who is well able to articulate transparency (lack thereof) and accountability in this domain, even when there is considerable pushback Experience working with civil society organisations and community organising with a particular focus on AI transparency, accountability, equity and the rule of law
Reposted by AI Accountability Lab
adaptcentre.bsky.social
New from #ADAPTRadio: Agentic AI- Convenience or Compromise?

Listen to a fireside chat with Dr. Abeba Birhane @abeba.bsky.social (@aial.ie @tcddublin.bsky.social) & Meredith Whittaker @meredithmeredith.bsky.social (President @signal.org) from #ADVANCE2025

Listen: www.adaptcentre.ie/podcasts/ada...
November 13, 2025 at 10:45 AM
Reposted by AI Accountability Lab
emildai-eu.bsky.social
Our colleagues at the AI Accountability Lab (@aial.ie) in Trinity College Dublin are hiring a Postdoctoral Researcher on Generative AI (GenAI) in Public Service.

👉 Learn more and apply here: aial.ie/hiring/postd...

#AIResearch #GenerativeAI #PublicService #AIAL #ResponsibleAI
November 12, 2025 at 2:38 PM
Reposted by AI Accountability Lab
abeba.bsky.social
📣 I am hiring a postdoc! aial.ie/hiring/postd...

applications from suitable candidates that are passionate about investigating the use of genAI in public service operations with the aim of keeping governments transparent and accountable are welcome

pls share with your networks
October 30, 2025 at 7:51 PM
aial.ie
The AIAL is looking for a highly driven Post-Doctoral Researcher who can design and implement research that improves transparency and accountability regarding the use of generative AI in public services

Application closes on Dec 02, 2025

More information: aial.ie/hiring/postd...
About AIAL The AI Accountability Lab (AIAL) is a research lab hosted in the ADAPT Research Centre and the School of Computer Science and Statistics in Trinity College Dublin. We are driven by the urgent need to demystify, critically assess, and publicly communicate the operations and functionality of AI systems by looking under the hood as well as their downstream impact on the public with the aim of shaping public knowledge, shifting power, and reserving fundamental rights, freedoms, and autonomy. The AIAL is an innovative lab at the cutting-edge of AI dedicated to greater transparency on the use of AI systems in the public domain and concrete accountability for the downstream societal impact of these technologies. The AIAL operates under the core principle that academic research, particularly research in AI, should be of a high-relevance and utility to the public. Thus, we actively engage and partner with local communities, civil society, and rights groups to ensure our work is grounded in real challenges and remains relevant and useful to these stakeholders. We are deeply committed to ensuring our work contributes to fostering transparency and driving a culture of AI accountability. Academic freedom and autonomy are of utmost importance to us and we take great care to ensure our lab is free from direct conflict of interest or implicit influence or pressure from the industry that we are studying. We are funded by philanthropic organisations such as the MacArthur foundation and European grants. About the role There is currently a growing move by governments worldwide, including the Irish government, to integrate generative AI technologies into public sector operations. However, information on the where, how, why, and when such technologies are being used remains scarce. Without this knowledge, it is difficult to understand, assess, and ensure the integrity of public services. The AIAL seeks to understand this challenge better and to conduct high-quality, high-impact research that helps uphold the principles of transparency, accountability, and equity. To directly tackle this urgent problem, the AIAL is looking for a highly driven Post-Doctoral Researcher who can design and implement research that improves transparency and accountability regarding the use of generative AI in public services. The researcher will particularly focus on uncovering and critically examining the integration, procurement, and governance practices of generative AI in government functions and public service operations. The output of this work is expected to be a public-facing database that acts as a knowledge-base and provides transparency and critical evaluation into the use of generative AI with the aim of expanding public knowledge and feeding into regulations and standards. Applications are invited from suitably qualified candidates for a 2-year, in-person, full-time fixed term position as a Post-Doctoral Researcher at the AIAL. Responsibilities Identify and map public sector organisations and government bodies that are integrating generative AI into internal as well as public-facing processes, in particular where these constitute decision making. The scope for this work will be Ireland in the initial stages Identify similar initiatives with value-aligned researchers/organisations across Europe and establish collaborations with the aim of painting a fuller-picture as well as performing cross-country comparisons and analysis. The appointed candidate will be expected to establish this collaboration to share findings from Ireland and learn from other EU initiatives to develop a pan-EU analysis Develop a public-facing database detailing the use of generative AI in public sectors. The database will provide key information such as modality, model version, vendor information, contractual agreements (if any), known risks, and will also facilitate information such as how it was procured, and where it is being used, for what purpose as well as any prior audits or testing done and main findings Identify and analyse contractual agreements and policies regarding the procurement and use of generative AI in public services. The appointed candidate will be expected to understand the procurement system involving government bodies and technology vendors, and the means to achieve this information where it isn’t readily available – such as through freedom of information requests. The analysis of obtained information will be through the lens of relevant European regulations to identify key information and transparency, accountability and equity concerns Assess the impact of generative AI in decision-making processes in government and the implications for institutional transparency, governance and accountability Requirements Hold a PhD in the following disciplines: computer science, machine learning, artificial intelligence, AI policy research, investigative journalism, management sciences, information systems studies, science and technology studies or cognate disciplines In-depth experience and publication track-record examining governance structures, power asymmetries and EU regulations Demonstrable experience in data visualisation, statistical analysis and a history of working with freedom of information (FoI) requests In-depth knowledge of European legislations and regulations such as the AI Act, DSA, GDPR Comprehensive knowledge (with a publication track record) of the AI audit landscape. Hands on experience with black-box auditing as well as executing qualitative and quantitative audits, particularly of generative AI Self-driven, passionate, and committed to transforming institutional transparency from a theoretical concept to a concrete, operationalisable, and practical mechanism for expanding public knowledge and fostering accountability Ambitious and passionate communicator who is well able to articulate transparency (lack thereof) and accountability in this domain, even when there is considerable pushback Experience working with civil society organisations and community organising with a particular focus on AI transparency, accountability, equity and the rule of law
October 30, 2025 at 7:44 PM
Reposted by AI Accountability Lab
mbrauh.bsky.social
I really enjoyed talking AI "companions" (and a lot more) with Seth and Caroline - you can catch it on Spotify, too - open.spotify.com/episode/6S0r...
October 27, 2025 at 10:51 AM
Reposted by AI Accountability Lab
theinternetiscrack.bsky.social
Can AI friendship go too far?

This week on the pod: Maribeth Rauh (formerly of Google DeepMind, now at AI Accountability Lab @aial.ie ) on why we treat AI like people — and how that illusion can spiral into real-world harm.

🎧 youtu.be/uAaYSIPsxCI

#AI #Chatbots #MentalHealth #Podcast #AIEthics
October 25, 2025 at 3:58 PM
Reposted by AI Accountability Lab
theinternetiscrack.bsky.social
Why do we treat AI like it’s human?
This week, Maribeth Rauh (ex–Google DeepMind, now at the AI Accountability Lab @aial.ie ) joins us to unpack how AI companions use emotional design and manipulative UX to keep us hooked.

🎧 Listen: youtu.be/uAaYSIPsxCI?...

#AIethics #AIAccountability
October 24, 2025 at 6:26 PM
Reposted by AI Accountability Lab
abeba.bsky.social
this is a comprehensive conversation that covers current issues of AI companions: dark patterns, deceptive designs, emerging youth mental health issues, engagement maximising business models, regulation (lack thereof), and how we are evaluating companion apps at the @aial
theinternetiscrack.bsky.social The Internet is Crack Podcast @theinternetiscrack.bsky.social · 24d
⚖️ No Rules for AI?

AI is evolving faster than our laws. Maribeth Rauh (ex–Google DeepMind, now at AI Accountability Lab @aial.ie ) explains how weak regulation—and seeing AI as “human”—can lead to real harm.

🎧 Listen now: youtu.be/uAaYSIPsxCI?...

#AI #TechPolicy #Podcast #AIRegulation #Ethics
October 24, 2025 at 1:26 PM
Reposted by AI Accountability Lab
theinternetiscrack.bsky.social
⚖️ No Rules for AI?

AI is evolving faster than our laws. Maribeth Rauh (ex–Google DeepMind, now at AI Accountability Lab @aial.ie ) explains how weak regulation—and seeing AI as “human”—can lead to real harm.

🎧 Listen now: youtu.be/uAaYSIPsxCI?...

#AI #TechPolicy #Podcast #AIRegulation #Ethics
October 23, 2025 at 1:02 PM
Reposted by AI Accountability Lab
abeba.bsky.social
curious about the current state of AI companions, how they are used, various problems that arise w developing intimate r\ship w these bots & how we are approaching evaluation of companions at @aial.ie.. then this indepth conversation w @mbrauh.bsky.social is for you

www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAaY...
October 22, 2025 at 11:15 AM
aial.ie
Conversation with our own @mbrauh.bsky.social encompassing her transition from DeepMind to @aial.ie, breaking down AI companions, why the massive uptakes (particularly w minors), & the multitude of harms that arise with them including AI sycophancy & the business models designed to keep users hooked
theinternetiscrack.bsky.social The Internet is Crack Podcast @theinternetiscrack.bsky.social · 27d
We talk to AI like it’s human — because it talks back.

Maribeth Rauh (DeepMind → AI Accountability Lab) @aial.ie on why AI’s conversations feel real — and why that illusion matters.

🎧 youtu.be/uAaYSIPsxCI?...

#TheInternetIsCrack #Ethics #AI #DeepMind #AIAL #podcast
October 22, 2025 at 11:07 AM
Reposted by AI Accountability Lab
adaptcentre.bsky.social
Looking forward to the fireside chat on #AgenticAI with Dr. Abeba Birhane @abeba.bsky.social (@aial.ie, @tcddublin.bsky.social) & Meredith Whittaker @meredithmeredith.bsky.social (President, @signal.org) at #ADVANCE2025 tomorrow. Agenda here: www.adaptcentre.ie/news-and-eve...
@researchireland.ie
October 15, 2025 at 3:27 PM
Reposted by AI Accountability Lab
cdteu.org
The Advisory Council is composed by:

➖ Dr Abeba Birhane @abeba.bsky.social, Founder & Leader of @aial.ie

➖ Professor Joris van Hoboken @jvh.bsky.social, Professor of Information Law at @ivir-uva.bsky.social

➖ Professor Clare McGlynn @claremcglynn.bsky.social, Professor of Law at @durham.ac.uk
October 16, 2025 at 9:58 AM
Reposted by AI Accountability Lab
cdteu.org
📢 Today, CDT Europe is proud to announce the creation of its new Advisory Council, an exciting milestone for our organisation as we strengthen our work at the intersection of #technology, policy, and democracy in Europe.

👇🏻 Read more on our website: cdt.org/insights/cdt...
CDT Europe Announces Inaugural Advisory Council
The Advisory Council Membersto announce the creation of its new Advisory Council, an exciting milestone for our organisation as we strengthen our work at the intersection of technology, policy, and de...
cdt.org
October 16, 2025 at 9:58 AM
aial.ie
"[T]he ability of Bytedance’s models to create likenesses of copyrighted characters and real people unfortunately adds heat to the fire of scrambling to get ahead at any cost, and regardless of any kind of law or ethical implications.” @mbrauh.bsky.social

time.com/7321911/byte...
ByteDance’s AI Videos Are Scary Realistic. That’s a Problem for Truth Online.
ByteDance’s new AI visual models rival those from OpenAI and Google. But their spread raises concerns over deepfakes and copyright.
time.com
October 4, 2025 at 4:36 PM
Reposted by AI Accountability Lab
abeba.bsky.social
If passed, the CSA Regulation proposal would also harm whistleblowers, activists in political opposition, labour unions, people seeking abortions in places where it is criminalised, media freedom, marginalised groups & many others

please sign this petition & pass it on crm.edri.org/stop-scannin...
Children deserve a secure and safe internet | EDRi CiviCRM
crm.edri.org
September 25, 2025 at 5:22 PM
Reposted by AI Accountability Lab
cdteu.org
📢 Together with 30 CSOs, we sent a letter to the European Commission and MSs to urge them to uphold their commitment to swiftly implement the #AI Act, without any delay or reopening of the legislation, and appoint national competent authorities.

👇🏻 Read the full statement: cdt.org/insights/joi...
Joint CSOs Open Letter on Keeping the AI Act National Implementation on Track
CDT Europe, together with 30 other civil society organisations, wrote an open letter to the European Commission and Member States to express our concerns regarding the timely implementation of the AI ...
cdt.org
September 24, 2025 at 8:44 AM
Reposted by AI Accountability Lab
abeba.bsky.social
"Belief that AI integration is essential—if not the only path—to societal progress is deeply flawed. Claims about AI’s capabilities lack evidence or are simply overinflated. Extractive, & destructive nature of the industry is often ignored" www.alliancemagazine.org/analysis/phi... from your truly
Philanthropy contingent upon AI adoption is regressive. Let's look at the facts - Alliance magazine
It’s common to hear about the ‘transformative powers’ of artificial intelligence (AI) across sectors. From education, and healthcare, to law, medicine, and the humanitarian sector, claims about the ‘p...
www.alliancemagazine.org
September 3, 2025 at 6:40 PM
Reposted by AI Accountability Lab
abeba.bsky.social
AI is the wrong tool to tackle complex societal & systemic problems. AI4SG is more about PR victories, boosting AI adoption (regardless of merit/usefulness) & laundering accountability for harmful tech, extractive practices, abetting atrocities. yours truly
www.project-syndicate.org/magazine/ai-...
The False Promise of “AI for Social Good”
Abeba Birhane refutes industry claims about the technology's potential to solve complex social problems.
www.project-syndicate.org
September 15, 2025 at 8:10 PM
Reposted by AI Accountability Lab
abeba.bsky.social
In this short piece, I lean on embodied cog sci to argue that we should refuse & resist llms in education (pp. 53-58) unesdoc.unesco.org/in/documentV...

"the classroom is an environment where love, trust, empathy, care & humility are fostered & mutually cultivated through dialogical interactions"
But what iseducation? Embodied and enactive cognitive sciences remind us that knowledge is not something discrete that an individual possesses and passes down but an inherently dynamic and evolving endeavour that develops in the process of embodied, curious and engaged interaction through dialogue. The pinnacle of cognition, particularly ‘human knowing’, is inextricably interwoven with interactions we engage in with each other and the physical, cultural and social world we inhabit, ‘so much so that individuals are not thinkable outside of their interactions and embeddedness in their (social) world’ (De Jaegher, 2019). Dialogic models of knowledge and education emphasize that interactions between a student and teacher and/or peer provide ‘scaffolding’ for how that child understands the world. The always in flux, active and continually transforming nature of human cognition necessitates that education be fundamentally an ongoing activity. Far from the reductionist view whereby ‘formal knowledge’ can be packaged and acquired from an LLM, the classroom is an environment where love, trust, empathy, care and humility are fostered and mutually cultivated through dialogical interactions
September 7, 2025 at 10:06 AM
Reposted by AI Accountability Lab
abeba.bsky.social
we at @aial.ie, are investigating amplification/censorship on X/twitter in EU. what are major EU:
-politicians & regulators
-journalists
-influencers & public intellectuals, with high visibility/influence on X, across both left & right political ideologies

we're interested in existing datasets too
July 23, 2025 at 12:56 PM
Reposted by AI Accountability Lab
baricks.bsky.social
Amazing group of AI auditing scholars and practitioners at the AI Accountability Lab @aial.ie, led by @abeba.bsky.social ✨
aial.ie AI Accountability Lab @aial.ie · Jul 10
We are thrilled to finally introduce our lab members aial.ie/people/

1/
July 10, 2025 at 6:38 PM
aial.ie
We are thrilled to finally introduce our lab members aial.ie/people/

1/
July 10, 2025 at 6:18 PM
Reposted by AI Accountability Lab
cdteu.org
We call on the Commission to refrain from pursuing a deregulation agenda and champion the proper enforcement and implementation of the AI Act and the wider EU #digital rulebook.
July 9, 2025 at 9:10 AM
Reposted by AI Accountability Lab
cdteu.org
We firmly oppose any attempt to delay or re-open the #AIAct, particularly in light of the growing trend of deregulation, which risks undermining key accountability mechanisms & hard-won rights, enshrined in EU law, protecting people, the planet, justice and #democracy.
July 9, 2025 at 9:10 AM