AI and Race Speaker Series in Commemoration of Black History Month

The 2026 AI and Race Speaker Series, held in commemoration of Black History Month, brings together legal professionals, scholars, students, and members of the public to examine the growing role of artificial intelligence in justice systems. This year’s keynote explores how data-driven technologies are reshaping policing, courts, sentencing, and supervision - often in ways that profoundly affect liberty, fairness, and public trust.

As algorithmic tools increasingly inform decisions about freedom and punishment, this event critically examines the assumption that technology is neutral or objective. The keynote addresses how historical inequities, racial bias, and governance failures can become embedded in automated decision-making systems, raising urgent questions about due process, accountability, and transparency.

Designed to be accessible yet rigorous, the event moves beyond technical explanations to focus on what is at stake for democratic institutions and fundamental rights. Participants will gain insight into the ethical responsibilities of governments, legal institutions, and communities to ensure that justice in the age of artificial intelligence remains human-centred, transparent, and anchored in the rule of law.

Speaker: Prof. Renée Cummings, Data Activist-in-Residence and Assistant Professor of Practice in Data Science ,School of Data Science, University of Virginia.

Host: Dr. Gideon Christian, Associate Professor of AI and Law and the University Research Chair in AI and Law at the Faculty of Law, University of Calgary.

Co-Hosted by:

· University of Calgary Black Law Students’ Association

· Alberta Civil Liberties Research Center (ACLRC)

· Calgary AI, University of Calgary

Admission is Free | Open to All
For online participation, register here to receive log-in information