<p>In Fall 2024, the United Nations International Computing Centre (UNICC) partnered with the New York University School of Professional Studies (NYU SPS) to pilot an educational initiative tackling one of today’s most pressing challenges: the ethical use of artificial intelligence (AI) in digital media. This collaboration represents an early, exemplary effort to bridge the gap between academic curricula and the real-world demands of digital governance.</p> <p>The initiative was driven by two interconnected challenges: the rise of harmful narratives and misinformation in digital media, and the growing skills gap between traditional educational models and the requirements of an AI-driven economy. In response, UNICC sponsored a collaborative project with NYU SPS to develop a prototype AI-powered media analysis tool. This tool is designed to detect xenophobic language and other forms of media harm while integrating ethical considerations and Agile development principles throughout its lifecycle.</p> <p>Beyond creating a functional AI tool aligned with UN values, the project sought to establish a replicable academic framework for preparing students to become ethical, innovation-ready professionals. Capstone projects within the MS in Management and Systems program simulated real-world digital innovation environments, allowing students to apply AI technologies, Agile frameworks, and stakeholder collaboration to tackle complex global challenges.</p>

<p>16 students worked in four teams of four to develop a preliminary proof-of-concept tool. By spring 2025, 64 students in 16 teams built a more advanced multimodal, multilingual tool, with two teams earning top honors. Several months later, this collaboration produced a working AI prototype with four integrated modules, ready for potential deployment in human rights and crisis response contexts.</p> <p>This project marks the beginning of ongoing collaborations between NYU SPS and UNICC in advancing ethical AI usage, the application of AI in digital media, and mission-driven technological innovation. Entitled <i>Responsible AI Innovation for Social Impact: A Case Study in Multilingual Media Moderation</i>, <a href="https://www.unicc.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/UNICC-White-Paper_Responsible-AI-Innovation-for-Social-Impact.pdf">the white paper can be read in its entirety on the UNICC website</a>.</p> <p> </p>

<p><b style="font-size: 0.8125rem;"><span class="p-body-large-bold">Team TB1</span></b></p> <ul class="p-list"> <li><p>Qi (Elaine) Zhang</p> </li> <li><p>Hillary Liu</p> </li> <li><p>Shixuan Lin</p> </li> <li><p>Qisong Zhou</p> </li> </ul> <p><b><span class="p-body-large-bold">Team Verimedia</span></b></p> <ul class="p-list"> <li><p>Fengyu Yang</p> </li> <li><p>Qianwen Zhu</p> </li> <li><p>Qi Sheng</p> </li> <li><p>Somya Panchal</p> </li> </ul> <p><span class="p-body-large-bold">Team Chaos</span></p> <ul class="p-list"> <li><p>Dorothy Guo</p> </li> <li><p>Akshay Channabasaiah</p> </li> <li><p>Fanxin Zeng</p> </li> <li><p>Howard Wen</p> </li> </ul>