Designing AI to Advance Racial Equity

 

AI-based technologies used by cities and organizations have been shown to exhibit racial bias, and yet, they are being used in ways that may determine who gets access to employment, care, and adequate housing. This research project seeks to understand the racial disparities in AI-based systems and design and implement solutions in the areas of public safety, transportation, and health. Engagement with local government offices, public agencies, and communities is at the center of its effort to better inform those facing the challenge of achieving racially equitable AI.

 

Team Members


Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering
Project Co-Lead

News


At the Crosswalk: Who Does AI See? A UT Austin research team is investigating how appearance affects driver behavior—and how those patterns could be replicated in autonomous vehicles.
Aug. 25, 2025
Unyielding Bias

A team of Good Systems researchers is using video footage and VR simulations to study driver behavior toward pedestrians — and how bias may influence future AI systems.

young-african-american-female-psychologist-keeping-2023-11-27-05-12-31-utc-scaled-1200x800-c-default.jpg
March 28, 2024
UT Austin, Cornell Researchers Developing AI Interventions to Address Suicide Rates Among Black Youth
A multi-university team that includes University of Texas at Austin researchers has been awarded a grant from the National Institutes of Health to create AI-based interventions to help address the risk for suicide among Black youth.
tower from east
Sept. 20, 2023
Good Systems Awards Funding to Advance Ethical AI Research in Core Project Areas
Good Systems has awarded funding to five projects that investigate the ethical implications of AI technologies in society in the areas of racial justice, surveillance and privacy, smart cities, and community-robot interaction.

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