How public involvement can improve the science of AI

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America

As AI systems from decision-making algorithms to generative AI are deployed more widely, computer scientists and social scientists alike are being called on to provide trustworthy quantitative evaluations of AI safety and reliability. These calls have included demands from affected parties to be given a seat at the table of AI evaluation. What, if anything, can public involvement add to the science of AI? In this perspective, we summarize the sociotechnical challenge of evaluating AI systems, which often adapt to multiple layers of social context that shape their outcomes. We then offer guidance for improving the science of AI by engaging lived-experience experts in the design, data collection, and interpretation of scientific evaluations.

Nathan Matias and Megan Price (2025). How public involvement can improve the science of AI. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, Vol. 122, No. 48. 14 November, 2025. © 2025 National Academy of Sciences. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2421111122