The world is undergoing a rapid process of datafication, providing immense potential for addressing various challenges in society and the environment through responsible data reuse. However, datafication also results in imbalances, asymmetries, and silos that hinder the full realization of this potential and pose significant public policy challenges. In a…

Stefaan G. Verhulst and Julia Stamm, The Data Tank (Appeared first as Data Reboot: 10 Gründe, warum wir unseren Umgang mit Daten ändern müssen at 1E9) For several decades, society has been aware of the rapidly increasing amount of data. The term “information explosion” was first used in 1941, and…

(Thanks to Lisa Talia Moretti, Sampriti Saxena, and Andrew Zahuranec for their research support; and the alumni of the Data Stewards Executive Course for their input) With the rapid datafication of our world and the ever-growing need to access data for re-use in the public interest, it’s no surprise that…

Stefaan Verhulst, Andrew Young and Mona Sloane (Earlier version published as part of Künstliche Intelligenz — Zwischen Erwartungen und Unbehagen). The proliferation of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies continues to throw up challenges and opportunities for policymakers — particularly in cities.. As the world continues to urbanize, cities grow in their…

Presentation to the United Nations World Data Forum 2021; Panel on “Where to start first? — Identifying the leverage points of effective capacity development,” organized by PARIS 21 In ways both large and small, COVID-19 has forced us to re-examine every aspect of our political…

The New York City Data Assembly demonstrated the value and potential of deliberation — By Andrew Zahuranec, Andrew Young and Stefaan G. Verhulst “What does the public expect from data-driven responses to the COVID-19 pandemic? And under what conditions?” …

Written Testimony by Stefaan G. Verhulst Co-Founder, The GovLab, Tandon School of Engineering, New York University Before the New York City Council Committee on Technology Oversight Hearing: Smart City, January 19, 2021 Chairman Holden and distinguished members of the Committee, thank you for allowing me the privilege to appear virtually…

Last month, several experts and practitioners gathered on-line to reflect on the use of AI in managing pandemics as part of The Responsible AI Forum (Preview) — organized by the Institute for Ethics in Artificial Intelligence (TUM, Munich), in close cooperation with the Global AI Ethics Consortium. I had the…

By Juliet McMurren and Stefaan G. Verhulst This article was originally published in Data & Policy, the peer-reviewed, open-access venue dedicated to the potential of data science to address important policy challenges. If data is the “new oil,” why isn’t it flowing? For almost two decades, data management in fields…