The Notre Dame–IBM Technology Ethics Lab hosts a two-day forum for the research teams that received funding through the Lab's 2024 Call for Proposals (CFPs). The Lab's 2024 CFPs delved into the moral dilemmas of large-scale models, their potential impacts, and efforts to navigate these challenges responsibly. A total of $942,117 was awarded to 17 projects. Eleven projects were completed by December 31, 2024; six were continued through June 30, 2025.
Large-scale models are a subset of artificial intelligence systems designed to perform a range of tasks by learning from vast amounts of data. Unlike traditional AI systems, LSMs are pre-trained on extensive datasets and can be fine-tuned to perform various functions. The versatility of LSMs has led to widespread adoption across different sectors, from education and healthcare to entertainment and communication. However, rapid adoption comes with various ethical challenges, including bias, misinformation, privacy concerns, and intellectual property rights. Addressing these issues is pivotal, as the future of AI depends on the responsible and transparent use of these models.
Over the course of the forum, researchers from global universities will present their work, meet with each other, and discuss future steps forward.