Dr. Susan Aaronson

Biography

Susan Ariel Aaronson is Research Professor of International Affairs at George Washington University (GWU). She also directs GWU’s Institute for International Science and Technology policy. Aaronson is also co-principal investigator with the NSF -NIST (National Science Foundation and (National Institute of Standards and Technology), Institute for Trustworthy AI in Law & Society (TRAILS), where she leads research on data and AI governance. Aaronson is also named one of GWU’s Public Interest Technology Scholars, where she works to encourage interdisciplinary research on technology in the public interest.

Aaronson conceived of and directs the Digital Trade and Data Governance Hub at GWU. The Hub educates policy makers, the press and the public about data governance and data-driven change through conferences, webinars, study groups, primers and scholarly research papers. It is the only organization in the world that maps the governance of public, proprietary and personal data at the domestic and international levels. The Hub is currently updating this metric to reflect the changes to data governance resulting from various types of AI systems. The Hub’s research has been funded by foundations such as Ford and Minderoo.

Susan currently directs projects on responsible AI; public engagement in AI governance; and on AI and data governance . She is an expert on how AI is changing trade and on how nations are engaging in AI and data protectionism. She regularly writes op-eds for Barron’s and Fortune, and was a commentator on economics for NPR’s Marketplace, All Things Considered and Morning Edition. Aaronson has also discussed trade issues for NBC, CNN, the BBC and PBS among other venues.