Our Mission and Values
The AI Literacy Lab, part of the Internet Democracy Initiative at Northeastern University, is a center for thinking, collaboration, and insight on communication in the age of AI.
Our leaders are media, computational social science, and computer science faculty, working alongside media practitioners. Our research relates to public understanding of new media and AI-driven technologies, and the factors that contribute to public knowledge.
We want to bring scholars, journalists, and technologists together to understand the implications of new technology, communicate the work of technology development, and promote the responsible use of AI.
Our mission is to foster a well-informed global society that is equipped to grapple with the promise and pitfalls of emerging technology — and to use AI in the service of democracy.
Our Team
John Wihbey
Associate Professor, Media Innovation and Technology
John P. Wihbey is an associate professor of media innovation and technology in the College of Arts, Media and Design at Northeastern University, a faculty researcher at the Ethics Institute, and a founder of Northeastern’s Internet Democracy Initiative. He directs the graduate programs in Media Innovation and Data Communication, Journalism, and Media Advocacy. John is the author of The Social Fact: News and Knowledge in a Networked World (MIT Press, 2019), and he has served as a research consultant for Twitter, Inc., John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.
Advisory Group:
Rupal Patel
Professor of Computer Science and Communication Sciences
Professor Rupal Patel is founder and CEO of VocaliD, a synthetic voice company that was acquired by Veritone in 2022. Recognized as a Voice Industry Visionary, she is known for her commitment to ethical AI, inclusivity, and accessibility. Her work has been featured in TED, NPR, MIT Technology Review, the BBC, and more.
Joanna Weiss
Director of Media Training & Strategic Initiatives, External Affairs, Office of the President, Northeastern University
Joanna Weiss is an award-winning journalist who created magazines about technology and humanity for Northeastern University and the heathcare technology firm athenahealth. A former columnist and reporter for the Boston Globe, she is a regular contributor to Politico Magazine and appears on national and international TV and radio as a commentator on society and culture. Her writing has appeared in The Atlantic, Slate, The Economist, and more.
Michael Workman
Creative Director, External Affairs, Office of the President, Northeastern University
Michael Workman is an award-winning visual journalist who was a designer and digital design director at the Boston Globe and the Baltimore Sun. He has led teams of designers on cutting-edge storytelling through photography, video, and data visualization and has lectured on visual storytelling at Northeastern University. His work has been recognized by the Online News Association and the Society for News Design.