Agenda

1:00 – 1:30 PM

Welcome Networking and Reception

1:30 – 1:35 PM

Welcome Address

Carrie Maultsby-Lute
Head of Partnerships
Northeastern University – Oakland

1:35 – 2:00 PM

Keynote Address: Human-Centered AI

One way to think of AI is as a process of optimization — finding the course of action, in an uncertain world, that will result in the maximum expected utility. In the past, the interesting questions were around what algorithm is best for doing this optimization. Now that we have a great set of algorithms and tools, the more pressing questions are human-centered: Exactly what do you want to optimize? Whose interests are you serving? Are you being fair to everyone? Is anyone being left out? Is the data you collected inclusive, or is it biased? This talk addresses these issues.

Peter Norvig
Computer Scientist and Distinguished Education Fellow
Stanford Institute for Human Centered AI

2:00 – 2:20 PM

Fireside Chat: Purpose Driven AI, Designing AI Systems for All

A thought-provoking discussion on the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in promoting equity, justice, and inclusion. Led by Christie Chung, Executive Director of the Mills Institute, this conversation with Lili Gangas, Chief Technology Community Officer at Kapor Center, will explore the dual role of AI as both a tool that can exacerbate existing inequities and a powerful force for dismantling barriers and fostering opportunity. The session will provide leaders with ethical frameworks and actionable insights to ensure AI adoption is purpose-driven, advancing justice and equity within organizations and society.

Christie Chung
Executive Director
The Mills Institute at Northeastern University Oakland

Lili Gangas
Chief Technology Community Officer
Kapor Foundation

2:20 – 2:30 PM

Flash Talk: The Unfinished Revolution: Solving Digital Identity and Stopping Fraud in a World of AI

Rod Boothby, Chief Executive Officer of IDPartner Systems, shares the candid story of leading IDPartner, a digital identity startup born from his tenure as Head of Identity at Santander, one of the world’s largest banks. He set out to solve one of the Internet’s greatest challenges: we do not know who or what we are interacting with online. The result? We all deal with high levels of fraud, misinformation, bullying, manipulation, and cyber threats.

IDPartner sought to spark a revolution—a global, bank-based digital identity network to restore trust online by reducing fraud, empowering individuals to control their identities, and enabling businesses to operate securely. Despite raising $3.9M, groundbreaking technology and strong partnerships, systemic obstacles far beyond technology derailed the journey.

This talk explores the lessons learned from this unfinished revolution and explains why solving digital identity is critical for combating fraud and ensuring responsible AI. Rod offers insightful guidance on building trust at scale in an era plagued by synthetic data, deepfakes, and online threats.

Rod Boothby
Chief Executive Officer
IDPartner Systems

2:30 – 2:40 PM

Flash Talk: Tech for the Rest of Us

Andreen Soley, Director of the Public Interest Technology University Network (PIT-UN), leads a network focused on integrating public interest into the heart of technology development. Since 2018, an ever-growing group of educators, technologists, philanthropists, policymakers and researchers has been collaborating on a shared vision of a field that draws on the insights of many disciplines — computer science, engineering, public policy, the social sciences, ethics, the humanities, law, and others — to make the public’s interest a core concern of technology design, deployment, and governance. Public interest, in short, must be a priority in technology and innovation, not an afterthought.

PIT-UN is an essential ecosystem builder which aims to equip the next generation of tech leaders with the tools and mindset to prioritize the public’s needs. As a proud member of PIT-UN, Northeastern University has been advancing initiatives, such as the AI for Impact Co-Op Program, and a range of programs in service of public interest. 

The talk will highlight key lessons from growing PIT-UN, exploring the importance of embedding public interest in technological innovation. Andreen will share insights on working to build a pipeline of technologists committed to shaping a future innovation uplifts and serves communities.

Andreen Soley
Director of the Public Interest Technology Program
Public Interest Technology University Network (PIT-UN)

2:40 – 2:50 PM

Flash Talk: Operationalizing Responsible AI in Fast Moving Teams

AI is often seen as optimizing for efficiency—but in fast-paced environments, the toughest questions are human: What are we optimizing for? Who benefits? Who’s excluded? When biased data shapes outcomes, how do we course-correct? This talk reframes Responsible AI as balancing competing priorities: velocity vs. ethics, compliance vs. agility. Leaders must confront: Do models amplify inequities? Is governance transparent? And crucially—when harm hits, how swiftly can we act?

In today’s fast-paced environment, integrating fairness, transparency, and accountability into AI isn’t just an option—it’s essential for success. In this session, Wael Mahmoud will share proven, real-world strategies for building trustworthy AI systems, including proactive fairness safe-guards, regulatory-forward design and continuous monitoring to deliver the best experience to users.

Wael Mahmoud
Technical ML Lead, Trust & Safety
Airbnb

2:50 – 3:35 PM

Panel Discussion: Putting Responsible AI into Practice: Roadmaps and Governance

This panel brings together leading Responsible AI experts and industry leaders from diverse fields to explore the practical implementation of Responsible AI principles. Moderated by Ricardo Baeza-Yates, Director of Research at The Institute for Experiential AI, the session will delve into strategies for operationalizing Responsible AI while addressing complex ethical and technical challenges.

Panelists will share concrete recommendations for embedding ethics into AI workflows, building multidisciplinary teams, and fostering cross-sector collaboration. Attendees will gain a comprehensive understanding of scaling Responsible AI frameworks, enabling organizations to integrate ethical AI practices effectively and sustainably.

Ricardo Baeza-Yates
Director of Research, The Institute for Experiential AI
Northeastern University

Sudha Jamthe
Technology Futurist & Educator LinkedIn Learning
Business School of AI

Esteban Arcaute
Technical Engineering Lead, Responsible AI
Meta

Kerry McLean
Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary
Intuit

Jorge Sanz
Research Principal in AI Governance and Chief Innovation Officer Finance
IBM Research