Sponsor
Cisco
Program
Description
Artificial Intelligence powers a lot of decisions in the modern world. For example, it powers what searches bubble to the top at Google and allows Facebook to determine whether a particular message is violating their policies. It has also been used by Police Departments toward predictive policing where crime is likely to take place and by whom. These kinds of applications of AI in powering critical and socially important technologies raise important ethical questions that need to be addressed.
Cisco is interested in several critical areas of research surrounding ethics in AI, including but not limited to the following:
- Ensuring AI applications preserve privacy of individuals and their civil rights
- Preventing AI systems from exhibiting and amplifying systemic biases
- Providing a rational framework for reviewing how and why decisions are made
- Ensuring AI systems (e.g., robots) maintain a healthy respect for humans
- Providing guard-rails around Autonomous AI systems (e.g., self-driving cars)
- Other potential ethical and societal concerns not covered by the above topics
Indirect Costs
5%
Special Notes
Please note that research activities carried out in the context of COVID-19 need to adhere to the University of Guelph COVID-19 research principles, policies, guidelines and processes as they may be updated from time to time and communicated on the Office of Research web-page.
How to Apply
Cisco Research uses CyberGrants tool to gather data and track their sponsored engagements. Those who wish to apply for a grant will need to create a CyberGrants account. Select "Apply" in the corresponding RFP (there are a number of active RFPs) to populate the ‘Invitation Code’ field and start your application. There are NO deadlines and proposals are reviewed and funding decisions are made on a rolling basis.
Internal Deadline: Since there is no deadline to submit a proposal to Cisco, please ensure that you submit a copy of the proposal along with an OR-5 form to the Office of Research Services one week prior to the date that you intend to submit the proposal to Cisco.