Kate Crawford is a leading scholar on the social, ethical, and political implications of artificial intelligence. Her research examines how AI systems shape and are shaped by power structures, historical contexts, and environmental impacts. With over two decades of experience studying large-scale data systems, she brings a critical perspective to the development and deployment of AI technologies.
Kate is a Research Professor at USC Annenberg, a Senior Principal Researcher at Microsoft Research, and the inaugural Chair of AI and Justice at the École Normale Supérieure in Paris. She has advised policymakers at the United Nations, the White House, and the European Parliament, helping to shape global discussions on AI regulation and ethics. Her work extends beyond academia, with research featured in Nature, Science, and AI & Society, as well as art installations exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art and the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Her acclaimed book, Atlas of AI: Power, Politics, and the Planetary Costs of Artificial Intelligence, explores the hidden costs of AI, from labour exploitation to environmental consequences. The book has been translated into twelve languages and was named one of the best books of the year by New Scientist and Financial Times. She also co-created Anatomy of an AI System, a visual investigation of the Amazon Echo that won the Beazley Design of the Year Award and is part of multiple permanent museum collections.
Kate continues to lead the Knowing Machines Project, a transatlantic research collaboration that examines how AI systems are trained and the implications of their data sources. Her latest project, Calculating Empires: A Genealogy of Technology and Power Since 1500, premiered at Fondazione Prada and won the European Commission’s Grand Prize for Science, Technology, and Art.
Artificial intelligence is everywhere, yet few understand how it is built or the true costs behind it. Kate Crawford exposes the hidden foundations of AI, from the human labour and vast datasets that train it to the environmental resources that sustain it. Drawing on two decades of research and fieldwork, she reveals how AI is shaping power structures and amplifying inequalities, equipping audiences with the knowledge to challenge assumptions and engage critically with these pervasive technologies.
Artificial intelligence is often viewed as a purely technical field, but art offers a powerful way to decode its complexities. Kate Crawford explores how artistic collaborations can reveal the unseen mechanics and consequences of AI, from its environmental footprint to its biases. Through groundbreaking projects like Anatomy of an AI System and Excavating AI, she demonstrates how creative approaches can make AI’s impacts tangible, sparking deeper understanding and meaningful conversations about the technology shaping our world.
