From "Could we…?" to "Should we…?": Developing a critical Framework for Engaging Artificial Intelligence

No matter whether you love it, fear it, or are sick of hearing about it, artificial intelligence impacts our lives. In this workshop, we will go beyond what AI tools do (or their creators say they do) and take a hard look at the broader implications of developing and using artificial intelligence. We will explore the power structures that inform the human labor behind AI, as well as the impacts of AI development and use on natural ecosystems, systematic oppression, and information economies. We will also discuss the agency we retain as students, teachers, and lifelong learners to co-create critical frameworks that challenge the inevitability of robot overlords. This presentation was part of the UC Love Data Week 2025 program (https://uc-love-data-week.github.io).