Responsible Computing, Ethics and Policy
Responsible computing is more than a field of study—it is a commitment to challenging the status quo and shaping technology for the public good.
We collaborate across computer science, social sciences, humanities, design, and policy to confront the complex challenges of today’s computing systems. Our shared goal: technology that is ethical, inclusive, and accountable to all.
Responsible computing examines a system’s societal impact, proactively addresses potential harms, and designs for accessibility and equity. Ideally, these considerations are embedded from the start, but systems must also be scrutinized and improved after deployment. A key framework for evaluating AI and ML systems, for example, is Fairness, Accountability, Transparency, and Ethics (FATE).
In practice, this means ensuring job platforms presenting opportunities equitably, holding developers and organizations responsible for their technology’s outcomes, providing clear explanations of a system’s decision making (e.g., why someone may not have received a loan or mortgage), and following societal norms and values, like not using surveillance in ways that infringe on privacy. These are not optional ideals—they are necessary steps toward building technology that serves everyone, not just the privileged few.
Students who want to learn more about responsible and ethical computing might be interested in the following :
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CMU at DIS 2026
NEWSThe Association of Computing Machinery (ACM) Conference on Designing Interactive Systems (DIS) was held June 13-17, 2026, in Singapore. ...
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Designing the Future of Tech Governance
NEWSCarnegie Mellon University students are stepping out of the classroom ready to prove that the people who design technology are uniquely qu...
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Fujitsu, CMU Launch Joint Center for Physical AI
NEWSAt the center, Fujitsu and CMU will jointly advance research and development of core technologies to enhance the capabilities and scalabil...
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When an AI Bot Becomes Your Boss
NEWSArtificial intelligence isn't likely to replace managers in the workplace, but it can help with routine tasks, a study by researchers in C...
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PeerCoPilot Uses AI To Support Community Mental Health Care
NEWSResearchers have developed an AI-powered chatbot designed both with and specifically for people working in behavioral health. The chatbot,...
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CMU at CSCW 2025
NEWSCarnegie Mellon University authors contributed to 27 papers accepted to the 2025 ACM Conference on Computer-Supported Cooperative Work and...
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Empowering Everyday Folks To Audit AI
NEWSResearchers from the CMU School of Computer Science developed a tool that helps users test AI tools to discover issues like biases that de...
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NSF Funds Development of Robots for Public Spaces
NEWSA Carnegie Mellon University research team recently received a $1.25 million grant from the National Science Foundation's Smart and Connec...
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![image for the "[does] Compute" podcast, presented by the CMU School of Computer Science and Geekwire](/sites/default/files/styles/400px_wide/public/2025-09/does-compute-season-2.jpg?itok=RsFRrPi3)
Season Two of 'Does Compute' Now Available
NEWSFrom Oscar-winning work in computer graphics to solving problems inside the human genome, Carnegie Mellon University's top-ranked School o...
PolicyCraft
PROJECTCommunity and organizational policies are typically designed in a top-down, centralized fashion, with limited input from impacted stakeholders. This can r...
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SCS Tool Improves Community Buy-In for Policy Decisions
NEWSCommunity policies, such as those for zoning or parking, are typically made at the top, which can leave community members feeling frustrat...
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CMU at CHI 2025
NEWSOur halls are abuzz with talk of “CHI” (pronounced “kai”), the nickname for the upcoming conference on computer human interaction (CHI). ...