Last week, Rashid Mushkani, collaborator with the UNESCO Chair in Urban Landscape, gave a talk at UQAM: “AI Pluralism: What Models Do, Who Decides, and Why It Matters.”
AI systems increasingly influence what we see, learn, and decide. Yet, their goals and rules are often set by a small group of actors. While we can measure what AI can do, we have far fewer tools to understand who decides how these systems are designed and governed.
In his presentation, Rashid explained AI pluralism on two levels:
- Technical case studies: how models manage different values and perspectives.
- AI Pluralism Index: a tool to measure the quality of AI governance, looking at participation, inclusion, transparency, and accountability.
By combining these approaches, we link AI behavior to public oversight and provide practical tools for safer, more democratic AI.