Paul Reid KC
Honorary Fellow
Malcolm Graham KPM
Honorary Fellow
Producing cross-disciplinary insights for diverse and inclusive design to AI in arts and fashion
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This project aims to investigate the extent to which one can use practice-based approaced to AI to facilitate the analysis of socio-legal issues and regulations surrounding AI bias.
Professor Burkhard Schafer, Professor of Computational Legal Theory at Edinburgh Law School, and Dr Daria Onitiu worked on this project that was funded by the British and Irish Law Education and Technology Association (BILETA) research award, as well as the Oxford University Press John Fell Fund.
Practice-based approaches to Artificial Intelligence (AI) - in which artists, fashion designers, and computer scientists experiment with the inherent limitations of algorithmic reasoning - allow us to reflect on the issues of bias, fairness, diversity, and inclusivity mediated by technology. Through two workshops involving (1) legal scholars, social scientists, and AI ethicists; and (2) artists, fashion designers, and computer scientists, this report investigates the extent to which we can use practice-based approaches to AI to facilitate the analysis of socio-legal issues and regulation surrounding AI bias.
This work highlights the role of understanding AI as a socio-technical challenge in creative arts, and the role of practice-based approaches to negotiate principles of fairness, diversity, and inclusion. To integrate socio-legal concepts related to bias, fairness, inclusivity, and diversity into the creative discourse on AI, it is necessary to uncover a range of preconceptions held by key players - developers, providers, and Big Tech - about AI's impact on creative practices. Understanding these preconceptions is crucial for developing a socio-technical approach to AI design, use, and governance.
The guide makes three key recommendations on how the negotiating function in practice-based approaches can be formalised for policy. These entail:
- Understanding AI as an umbrella term that can shape, manipulate, and deceive an inclusive, diverse approach to the design of AI.
- Noting the relevance of language framing, which is a narrative that encapsulates certain design and normative choices on how developers operationalise notions surrounding diversity and bias, cultural blindsides, whilst revealing the different incentives for undermining responsible and accountable design and deployment of advanced AI.
- Defining how practice-based approaches can challenge implicit, explicit assumptions about responsible AI and promote a new interrogatory mindset regarding the design and deployment of AI technology.
Read and download the full report [PDF]
LawPALS: Law Peer Assisted Learning Scheme
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LawPALS is our Peer-Assisted Learning Scheme where new LLB students are automatically put into groups led by two Student Leaders, who are LLB students in later years of study
LawPALS runs three separate streams: one for students on the four-year Honours LLB and Global LLB programmes, one for the Graduate LLB programme, and one for Visiting and Exchange Students.
The student groups led by the Student Leaders meet once a week at lunchtime to help incoming students successfully navigate their way into and through the first semester of law school.
LawPALS sessions match student timetables in two ways:
- They are scheduled at lunchtime when no other classes take place.
- They run alongside students' courses so that, for example, before an essay is due, students will have had a session on writing law essays.
Topics covered include: essays, exams and assessments, careers, work/life balance, and more.
“The program is an excellent way to feel less nervous about all the new challenges of law school. It helps you ask the questions weighing on your mind and gives you some friendly faces every week, which can offer a lot of comfort. It also offers a way to meet new students and have a fun time overall.”
“It was great to have a support network in place for us upon arrival at university and there was always someone there to answer our questions and give us more information on several aspects of uni life.”
“The whole LawPALS experience really helped me adjust to university life especially when everything was done virtually. It allowed me to interact with other students.” “Very useful to get to know more about the course and preparation for the exams.”
“100% it’s one of the highlights of my degree so far.”
Your student leaders will get in touch with you in Welcome Week and inform you of the time and location of your LawPALS sessions.
Join your LawPALS leaders and meet your group at the Campus Tour in Welcome Week. More information about the Campus Tour is available via the Induction App.
You can contact the LawPALS programme at lawpals@ed.ac.uk
