Toby Jia-Jun Li, assistant professor of computer science and engineering at the University of Notre Dame, has been appointed the director of the Human-Centered Responsible Artificial Intelligence (HRAI) Lab in the Lucy Family Institute for Data & Society.

In alignment with the University’s strategic framework and the goals of the Institute, the HRAI will design, develop, and deploy artificial intelligence (AI) systems that address key societal topics, including democracy, ethics, health and well-being, and poverty. The lab will draw upon the expertise of interdisciplinary teams of faculty, staff, faculty affiliates, and community partners to produce meaningful research and practical AI tools for broad community benefit.

“The goal of the HRAI is to develop AI systems that responsibly consider the intents, preferences, interests, and values of all stakeholders who will use, or might be impacted, by the new systems,” said Li. “Since AI is already being deployed in every aspect of our lives from education to healthcare, it is important for us to produce tools that can empower people, especially those from underserved communities, to navigate AI systems in ways that contribute positively to society. The Lucy Family Institute is an ideal setting for this new lab to advance human-centered interdisciplinary research in AI and create meaningful societal impact. ”

Li has received support from the National Science Foundation for ongoing projects to address AI inequality in ridesharing platforms and to enhance internet user privacy literacy, which will now be part of HRAI. In 2024, Li contributed to the “Transportation Insecurity and Rideshare " project in South Bend, Indiana, which received a “Lucie” Societal Impact Award. He is also a principal investigator for a 2024 Notre Dame Research Strategic Framework Teaching Grant that incorporates AI writing components into University undergraduate courses in order to develop an ethical knowledge around the writing process without over-reliance on AI and to promote proficiency in human-AI collaboration.

“The Human-Centered Responsible Artificial Intelligence lab is an important new initiative at the Institute that will deepen the University’s investments in responsible AI innovation,” said Nitesh Chawla, the Frank M. Freimann Professor of Computer Science and Engineering and director of the Lucy Family Institute for Data and Society. “As a faculty fellow of the Lucy Family Institute, Toby has made significant contributions in advancing AI capabilities. The new lab aligns with the Institute’s mission to foster AI access to strengthen diverse capacity building and bolsters our commitment to inclusive AI for the common good.”

The HRAI is open to collaborations with campus and community researchers. For questions on how to become involved, please contact Toby Li at toby.j.li@nd.edu.

To learn more about the HRAI lab, please visit the Lucy Family Institute for Data & Society website.

Contact:

Christine Grashorn, Program Director, Engagement and Strategic Storytelling
Lucy Family Institute for Data & Society / University of Notre Dame
cgrashor@nd.edu / 574.631.4856
lucyinstitute.nd.edu / @lucy_institute

About the Lucy Family Institute for Data & Society

Guided by Notre Dame’s Mission, the Lucy Family Institute adventurously collaborates on advancing data-driven and artificial intelligence (AI) convergence research, translational solutions, and education to ethically address society’s vexing problems. As an innovative nexus of academia, industry, and the public, the Institute also fosters data science and AI access to strengthen diverse and inclusive capacity building within communities.