Reflecting on the Civic AI Lab Spotlight Event

The event began with introductions, setting the stage for the day's discussions. Paul Verhagen, serving as the political liaison for the Civic AI Lab, presented first. His talk, titled "Closing the AI-policy gap," explored how the lab aims to align academic research with practical policy-making, particularly in relation to reducing political polarization through algorithmic analysis.

Following a brief session for questions and answers, Mayesha Tasnim, a doctoral candidate at the Civic AI Lab, University of Amsterdam, presented her research. Her presentation, "Efficiency vs Strategy in One-sided Matching: The Case of Amsterdam Secondary School Choice," examined how AI could be leveraged to address allocation problems in education, specifically through Multi-agent Reinforcement Learning and Automated Mechanism Design.

The presentations prompted a period of open discussion, allowing attendees to pose questions and offer their own insights into the topics presented. The event wrapped up with an informal networking session, providing an opportunity for further conversation among those present.

This Civic AI Lab event served as a platform for sharing research and sparking dialogue about the potential and challenges of employing AI in the service of the public. Through presentations and discussions, participants were able to delve into both the technological and ethical considerations of AI development.

We thank Paul Verhagen and Mayesha Tasnim for their contributions to the event, as well as all attendees for their participation and engagement. The Civic AI Lab continues its work at the intersection of AI technology and societal benefit, emphasizing the importance of thoughtful discourse and collaboration in this rapidly evolving field.