Title:New institute on tech policy for common good

Georgetown and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation will invest $30 million to establish a nonpartisan institute that helps policymakers and tech industry leaders address pressing issues related to technology, policy, and ethics.

To be located on Georgetown’s Capitol Campus in Washington, DC, the Knight–Georgetown Institute (KGI) will serve as a central hub for translating research into practical resources that legislators, journalists, and private and public sector leaders can use to tackle such information technology issues as artificial intelligence and the spread of misinformation and disinformation.

“The Knight–Georgetown Institute is an exciting manifestation of Georgetown’s deep-seated expertise in issues of technology, ethics, and society and the Knight Foundation’s investment in media and democracy,” says Georgetown Provost Robert M. Groves. “The need to understand the ways technology impacts our information production systems and our democracy is vital to our shared futures.”

KGI joins and expands the work of Georgetown’s Tech & Society Initiative, a cross-campus network of centers and institutes engaged in interdisciplinary collaboration, research, and action.

“Georgetown’s cross-cutting investment in tech, ethics, and policy—paired with our DC location—is an early proof of concept of where we see education going in the 21st century and the impact that our work can have,” says Soyica Diggs Colbert, vice president of interdisciplinary initiatives and Idol Family Professor. “We can only imagine how much more robust things will be 10 years from now, and the Knight– Georgetown Institute is an indication of our promise.”

The institute will train undergraduate and graduate students in the field of tech policy and provide a rich assortment of pre-professional, mentorship, and research opportunities to complement the Technology, Ethics, and Society minor that Georgetown began offering last year.

“This is as much about the current state of the field as it is about shaping the future,” Colbert says of the institute. “Part of our advantage is that as an educational institute, we can train future computer scientists, future engineers, and future policymakers to think about the implications of what they’re doing and to ask the right questions.”

Working with Georgetown’s Tech & Society Initiative on its Hilltop, Georgetown Law, and Capitol campuses, the two organizations will draw on the strength of their academic centers and networks—meeting an urgent need, says Knight President Alberto Ibargüen.

“Knight Foundation and Georgetown share a commitment to building scientific and policy consensus through independent inquiry and fact-based debate,” says Ibargüen. “In that sense, Georgetown is a natural partner in this work and is perfectly situated as a convener and translator for our growing public dialogue on technology and information in the context of our democracy.”