Data & Society Research Institute

Data & Society is an independent nonprofit research organization. We believe that empirical evidence should directly inform the development and governance of new technologies — and that these technologies can and must be grounded in equity and human dignity. Recognizing that the concentrated, profit-driven power of corporations and tech platforms will not steer us toward a just future, our work foregrounds the power of the people and communities most impacted by technological change.

We study the social implications of data, automation, and AI, producing original research to ground informed public debate about emerging technology. This includes research on machine learning, AI systems, algorithmic impact, the future of work, and building trustworthy online infrastructures. Our research offers evidence to counter the notion that technology is the best or only solution to the host of societal challenges we face, and our communications, policy, and engagement work applies and amplifies those findings.

In all our work, we collaborate with a growing, international network to explore the far-reaching ways that data-centric and automated technologies are shaping lives and opportunities. Together, we are demonstrating not only why our societies must prioritize more equitable and just systems, but how it can be done.