New Opportunities, Risks, and Harm of Generative AI for Fostering Safe Online Communities

Recently, there is a growing trend of using generative AI systems and tools for fostering and protecting online collaborative communities. Yet, existing AI tools may introduce new risks and even harm to diverse communities’ online safety. How to better maximize the novel opportunities of AI and mitigate its emerging risks and harm for our future online safety is a critically needed discussion for the HCI community. Featuring experts from both industry and academia, the goal for this panel is to promote interdisciplinary, community-wide discussions and collective reflections on important questions and considerations at the unique intersection of AI and online communities, including but not limited to: how the design of AI systems may discourage existing online harm but also invite new online harm in various online spaces; how different populations, cultures, and communities may perceive and experience AI’s new roles for their online safety; and what new strategies, principles, and directions can be envisioned and identified to better design future AI technologies to protect rather than harm various online communities.