Building collective power with and around artificial intelligence.
What We Do
Harnessing Artificial Intelligence for Transformative Justice
AI4Abolition empowers communities, organizations, and individuals with the knowledge and tools necessary to harness artificial intelligence for transformative justice. Our commitment is to create an abolitionist future by promoting AI literacy and developing tech products, literature, and cutting edge research. We prioritize serving Black and Indigenous women, queer, and youth leaders, but our mission embraces all who strive to use AI as a force for systemic repair and mutual aid.
Practicing Abolition
We are a dedicated team of technologists, researchers, and advocates, innovating at the crossroads of artificial intelligence and social transformation. Our goal is to harness AI's potential to challenge systemic inequalities and instigate transformative justice.
Solving Systemic Biases
The landscape of data science is plagued with systemic biases, perpetuating disparities and enabling unjust decision making. Our resolve is to construct and deploy tools capable of identifying, challenging, and rectifying these harms while imagining new uses and development practices for AI for a more equitable future.
Impacting the AI Community
Our mission has made significant waves in the field of AI. Through our incisive research and advocacy, we have already drawn attention to the pervasive algorithmic bias in systems like social media recommendations, music streaming and human-algorithm interaction loops, initiating crucial conversations on the subject.
Innovating for Change
Our contributions have been recognized by distinguished institutions and industry leaders alike. We have proven our capacity for transformative innovation. Our collaborations, including research and advocacy with Spotify Tech Research, The US Courts, and TikTok (to name a few) place us at the forefront of the discourse on tech equity.
Our Mission
We are committed to creating an abolitionist future by promoting AI literacy and developing open-source community-led products to usher in a just and regenerative future.
Why we do what we do
Together, we must make artificial intelligence work for justice, not against it.
AI can be a tool for liberation, not oppression, helping to create a just society.
The Power of AI
Artificial Intelligence has reshaped countless aspects of our lives, from healthcare to transportation to entertainment. Its ability to parse vast amounts of data makes AI a transformative tool, capable of streamlining processes and offering insights beyond human capabilities.
The Current Landscape
Unfortunately, AI's vast potential has not been fully leveraged toward social justice. Indeed, quite the opposite has happened. Existing systems mirror societal biases, resulting in skewed, sometimes life-threatening outcomes. These biases further marginalize communities already facing systemic disadvantages.
The Need for AI in Abolition
AI can be a powerful tool for social justice if developed and applied thoughtfully. It can be used to illuminate patterns of discrimination, support transformative justice efforts, and scale fair, inclusive systems. By intertwining AI and abolition, we can drive meaningful, transformative change.
Our Solutions
REPaiR and California Data Union
Tools and resources to navigate an AI-driven future.
Transformative, Empowering, Responsive, Ethical, Healing, Scalable
REPaiR
REPaiR is a novel AI platform designed to facilitate transformative justice dialogues within and across criminal-legal system impacted communities. Recognizing the often-fatal consequences of involving the criminal justice system for marginalized populations, REPaiR offers a scalable alternative. Through this tool, communities can address harm and resolve conflict without resorting to carceral state-sponsored systems.
Empowering, Grassroots, Community-Building, Reparative
California Data Union
The California Data Union will represent Data Laborers, or the users of technology who generate the data that is used to power artificial intelligence systems. Yes, that means practically everyone connected to the internet in California. By recognizing our production of data as a type of labor, data laborers can organize themselves to collectively bargain with big tech companies for harm reducing policies, fair compensation, and comprehensive data rights.
Our TikTok Trust & Safety team had the great opportunity to learn from AI4Abolition about the nuances and real-world impact of algorithmic bias. Their virtual lecture was incredibly impactful and helped bolster our team's understanding in this space. Their combination of subject-matter expertise and approachable teaching style resulted in a meaningful and memorable session.
Dr. Tracy Elizabeth
Global Head of Family Safety & Developmental Health at TikTok
Resources
Access Our Advocacy
Library
Empower change through knowledge and action.
AI and Inequality: How Machines Keep Us Poor, Sick, and Discriminated Against
This third program in our AI series will focus on the critical issue of inherent biases in AI technologies, especially as they are deployed in law enforcement, healthcare, government, and education. We’ll look at how these biases manifest and their profound implications.
Mind and Machine: Understanding AI's Impact on Youth Mental Health
Join us for the first of a special ALOUD series on AI where we take a compelling look into the interaction between young people and AI systems, exploring subconscious perceptions and the significant effects of AI on youth mental health and development.
AI in the Spotlight: Revolutionizing Creativity and Industry in the Arts
From generating new forms of artistic expression to transforming industry practices, artificial intelligence is redefining the boundaries of creativity. This event will bring together creatives from diverse backgrounds and industry experts to discuss the opportunities and challenges presented by AI in the performing and fine arts.