Jay Cunningham

Dr. Jay L. Cunningham is a computer scientist and scholar with over a decade of interdisciplinary research spanning computing, public interest technology, and AI policy — with a focus on human-centered AI, AI ethics, data governance, and technology equity. He is dedicated to advancing responsibility and fairness in artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) systems, data science, and human-computer interaction (HCI). Dr. Cunningham is an Assistant Professor of Computer Science (Human-Computer Interaction) in DePaul University’s College of Computing and Digital Media (CDM), where he directs the Responsible AI Systems & Societal Experiences (RAISE) Lab, conducting human-centered research on responsible AI and socio-technical computing for the common good. Previously, he was an Adjunct Professor of Design Strategy at the University of Southern California’s Iovine and Young Academy. His scholarship has been published in premier venues such as ACL, ACM CHI, ACM DIS, AIES, and FAccT, critically examining the technical, societal, political, and economic impacts of algorithmic harms, data practices, and structural inequities embedded in AI/ML systems — with particular attention to historically underserved communities and underrepresented users. He brings extensive experience convening cross-sector coalitions of technologists, policymakers, investors, and civil society stakeholders through roles and partnerships with Apple, Google, and Microsoft. His work has been recognized with competitive fellowships and grants, including the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program, Gates Millennium Scholars Program, GEM Ph.D. Engineering Fellowship, Google Award for Inclusion Research, and the Social Science Research Council Just Tech Fellowship. Dr. Cunningham earned his Ph.D. and M.S. in Human Centered Design and Engineering from the University of Washington, where his dissertation, Methods of Designing Justice-Oriented Interactive AI Systems, explored new approaches to building equitable AI. He holds a B.S. in Computer Science and Engineering from The University of Alabama and remains deeply committed to fostering collaborations that advance AI ethics, trust, and societal impact.