Listen "Governing an Algorithm in the Wild"
Episode Synopsis
Algorithms make a wide range of morally important decisions, and many people now argue that members of the public should be more directly involved in deciding the moral tradeoffs that such systems entail. But most ideas for public or stakeholder involvement are still on the drawing board, and there are few real stories of public deliberation over the design of a morally important algorithm. This talk explores one such story.On December 4, 2014, the algorithm that allocates kidneys for transplant in the United States was replaced, following more than a decade of debate and planning. The development process was highly transparent and participatory, faced hard ethical questions explicitly, and incorporated elements of simulation and auditing that scholars often recommend. Scientist and researcher David Robinson describes how this story played out — including a twist ending — and will draw out four broader lessons to inform the design of participation strategies for other high stakes algorithms. The talk is hosted by Data & Society Senior Researcher, Alex Rosenblat.
More episodes of the podcast Data & Society
Standing Up for Human Value in the AI Economy | 'Understanding AI' — NYPL x D&S Event Series [4]
16/01/2026
Reorienting AI for the Public Interest | 'Understanding AI' — NYPL x D&S Event Series [3]
16/01/2026
Understanding AI: What the Public Needs to Know | 'Understanding AI' — NYPL x D&S Event Series [1]
16/01/2026
What is Work Worth? Exploring What Generative AI Means for Workers’ Lives and Labor | Keynote Event
20/05/2025
Resisting Predatory Data | Book Talk
18/04/2025
ZARZA We are Zarza, the prestigious firm behind major projects in information technology.