Aviv Ovadya

Aviv Ovadya, a thought leader at the confluence of AI, platforms, democracy, and deliberation, is dedicated to shaping the governance of AI to match its rapid advancements. As a research fellow at newDemocracy and an affiliate at Harvard's Berkman Klein Center and the Centre for the Governance of AI, Aviv is actively involved in framing and theorizing effective transnational governance and alignment. He is also the founder of the soon-to-be-launched AI & Democracy Foundation and offers his expertise as a consultant to various civil society organizations, technology companies, and funders.

Aviv's work primarily ensures that AI governance is well-equipped to handle the technology's fast-paced developments. He has contributed significantly to applied deliberative democracy, advising organizations such as Twitter and OpenAI on building and piloting infrastructure for deliberative governance. Additionally, his work extends to strengthening our information ecosystem and decision-making systems against the challenges posed by new technologies, including advocating for improvements in red teaming and social media ranking systems.

Holding BS and MA degrees in computer science from MIT, Aviv has an extensive background in the tech industry, both in San Francisco and internationally. His transition to focusing on the societal implications of technology has led him to roles like the Chief Technologist at the Center for Social Media Responsibility (University of Michigan), where he consulted for organizations including the Partnership on AI, the Civic Health Project, Meedan, and Cohere.

Aviv's insights and work have been widely recognized and covered by major media outlets like BBC, NPR, The Economist, and The New York Times. He is also a prolific writer, with contributions to WIRED, Bloomberg, HBR, the MIT Technology Review, and the Washington Post. His consulting projects span various domains, from making social media less divisive to advising on synthetic media impacts and online credibility initiatives.

Through a blend of technical expertise and deep interdisciplinary research, Aviv develops and promotes innovative solutions, articulates key concepts, and provides comprehensive implementation strategies. His efforts are geared towards supporting projects that create new capabilities or institutions, particularly those aligned with a vision of responsible AI governance and deliberation.