Dr. Safiya U. Noble, PhD, is the 2026 Pauline Newman ’47 Distinguished Speaker in Science, Technology, & Society. She is a Professor at UCLA, where she serves as Director of the Center on Resilience and Digital Justice and Co-Director of the Minderoo Initiative on Tech & Power. She is the bestselling author of Algorithms of Oppression.

As AI continues to reshape our world, new imperatives and demands push increasing investment in digital technologies to the fore. Yet critical information scholars continue to demonstrate how AI and digital technology are shaped by and infused with values that are not impartial. Technologies consist of a set of social practices, situated within the dynamics of race, gender, class, and politics, and in the service of something, a position, a profit motive, or a means to an end.

In this keynote lecture, Dr. Noble will explore the risks and challenges we face with AI and provide crucial background on the potential harms of these technologies. Attendees will leave empowered with key questions and decision-making best practices to consider when incorporating digital technologies to ensure an equitable and engaging future for all.

This endowed lecture is part of the Science, Technology, and Society Lecture Series.

Sponsored by the Science, Technology, and Society Program.

The lecture is free and open to the public.