Wharton AI & Analytics Initiative Launches the Wharton Accountable AI Lab, Led by Professor Kevin Werbach

The Wharton AI & Analytics Initiative (WAIAI) is proud to unveil its newest research lab: the Wharton Accountable AI Lab (WAAL). Led by Kevin Werbach, the Liem Sioe Liong/First Pacific Company Professor and Chair of the Department of Legal Studies and Business Ethics, WAAL is dedicated to advancing the responsible development of AI technologies. The Lab represents WAIAI’s commitment to incubating research and thought leadership in AI governance, regulation, and ethics with a practical focus on business applications.

Leveraging Wharton’s unique combination of legal and business expertise and global reach, WAAL aims to drive meaningful conversations among policymakers, industry leaders, and academics. The Lab complements initiatives like Wharton Executive Education’s Strategies for Accountable AI, further reinforcing Wharton’s leadership in this critical area. Under Professor Werbach’s guidance, WAAL will enhance research opportunities and provide actionable insights for effective AI adoption, promoting both innovation and societal good.

“We still have a long way to go on the journey toward accountable AI,” says Professor Werbach, who also hosts The Road to Accountable AI podcast. “But the path is now well-marked by those striving for best practices and policy-makers around the world. The Lab provides the tools and insights organizations need to implement AI in trustworthy and compliant ways.”

As AI technologies continue to reshape industries and societies, the Lab explores critical issues such as bias, privacy, risk assessment, legal responsibility, intellectual property, misinformation, and manipulation, across both established machine learning and generative AI techniques.

“Technologies as transformative as AI need both enthusiastic innovation and informed perspectives to guide ethical and legal frameworks,” says Eric Bradlow, Vice Dean of AI & Analytics at Wharton. “With Kevin’s expertise and vision, WAAL ensures that businesses can grow responsibly and productively alongside AI.”

Visit the Wharton Accountable AI Lab’s homepage to learn more.