My research group:

Overarching Research Themes

*Extracted by GPT-4, there may be inconsistencies.* #### *Ethical AI and Cultural Sensitivity* My research group explores the intersection of AI ethics and cultural sensitivity in artificial intelligence applications. A key paper in this area is [Mind the Gesture: Evaluating AI Sensitivity to Culturally Offensive Non-Verbal Gestures](https://arxiv.org/abs/2502.17710), which investigates how AI systems interpret non-verbal cues and the implications for diverse user interactions. Another important contribution is [Rejected Dialects: Biases Against African American Language in Reward Models](https://arxiv.org/abs/2502.12858), examining systemic biases in language models that affect AI's understanding of different dialects. Furthermore, we delve into the necessity for diverse perspectives in AI technology through [Diverse Perspectives on AI: Examining People's Acceptability and Reasoning of Possible AI Use Cases](https://arxiv.org/abs/2502.07287). #### *Navigating Narratives in AI* My research group explores the intricacies of narrative analyses and storytelling in digital platforms. We emphasize understanding narrative structures through our work on [Quantifying the narrative flow of imagined versus autobiographical stories](https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2211715119), which provides insights into how narratives are perceived differently based on context. Additionally, our investigation into [HEART-felt Narratives: Tracing Empathy and Narrative Style in Personal Stories with LLMs](https://arxiv.org/abs/2405.17633) sheds light on emotional resonance in AI-generated narratives. This theme underscores the importance of empathy and storytelling in enhancing human-AI interactions. #### *Social Intelligence and Agent Interaction* My research group explores the design and evaluation of socially intelligent AI agents capable of nuanced interactions. The paper [SOTOPIA: Interactive Evaluation for Social Intelligence in Language Agents](https://arxiv.org/abs/2310.11667) discusses methods for assessing the social reasoning capabilities of these agents. Additionally, [Clever Hans or Neural Theory of Mind? Stress Testing Social Reasoning in Large Language Models](https://arxiv.org/abs/2305.14763) critically evaluates the limits of social understanding in language models. Our work reflects a commitment to realizing AI systems that can engage with human-like understanding and empathy in social contexts. #### *Addressing Toxicity in AI Generated Text* My research group explores mechanisms to identify and mitigate toxic language in AI outputs. In our study [PolygloToxicityPrompts: Multilingual Evaluation of Neural Toxic Degeneration in Large Language Models](https://arxiv.org/abs/2405.09373), we evaluate biases in multilingual contexts degrading the performance and safety of AI applications. We also delve into [Beyond Denouncing Hate: Strategies for Countering Implied Biases and Stereotypes in Language](https://arxiv.org/abs/2311.00161), focusing on the subtle biases present in online communication. This research aims to develop frameworks that prioritize safe and equitable interactions in AI systems.