Safety Frameworks for Companion Chatbots
(As Director of The REMAIN Institute)
Challenge
How can AI systems be governed to ensure equitable outcomes for vulnerable communities while balancing innovation, privacy, and accountability?
Despite rapid AI development, public governance mechanisms remain fragmented and reactive. My work at The REMAIN Institute focused on proactively designing policy interventions that center human dignity, social equity, and institutional trust.
Methods
- Cross-Sector Stakeholder Workshops with policymakers, ethicists, technologists, labor organizers, and public advocates
- Policy Landscape Mapping to identify regulatory gaps across U.S. federal, state, and global bodies
- Scenario Planning for emerging technologies like generative AI, automated hiring, and surveillance systems
- White Paper Development articulating actionable governance frameworks for industry and public institutions
Through interdisciplinary, participatory methods, we aligned diverse priorities into coherent, forward-looking policy recommendations.
What We Built Together
- Drafted "AI Accountability in Critical Infrastructure" white paper influencing discussions within municipal AI ethics boards
- Produced "Transparency by Design" guidelines for procurement of government AI services
- Co-developed "Worker Rights in Algorithmic Management" policy recommendations circulated among labor advocacy groups
Early Outcomes
- Our transparency framework has been referenced by civic organizations as a model for public sector innovation
- REMAIN Institute recommendations have informed conversations around federal AI accountability proposals
- Policy toolkits have supported local governments exploring AI ethics and transparency initiatives
Why It Matters
Effective AI governance requires more than reactive regulations—it demands proactive, participatory policymaking that uplifts human dignity at every stage. Through REMAIN, I’ve contributed to a future where AI serves democracy, equity, and the public good.
