Laboratorio de Métodos de Impacto Algorítmico

Our “Notes from the Field” series offers short reflections drawn from AIMLab’s hands-on work experimenting with algorithmic impact assessments. They capture emerging methods, unexpected challenges, and lessons learned while partnering with communities, governments, and organizations. These informal reflections are meant to take stock of algorithmic impact assessment and share insights into what it takes to support AI accountability on the ground.

The Uses and Limits of Algorithmic Impact Assessments (October 2025)

AIMLab’s community-based algorithmic impact assessment of the City of San José’s computer vision pilot program was underway when an article on the front page of El Guardián broke news about the pilot. In this case, investigative journalism proved to be an important tool in effecting a change to the scope of the program, and encouraging the city to take action. It also shed light on important lessons for AIA practice and algorithmic accountability more broadly. In this piece, Meg Young and Tamara Kneese outline lessons learned about how future AIA work can be more effective in catalyzing change.

Field Notes on Algorithmic Impact Assessments (January 2024)

As the AIMLab team lays the foundation for its work — seeking to understand the gaps between policy and implementation, and between ethical frameworks and actual practices — their questions are at once theoretical and methodological. In this piece, Tamara Kneese outlines some of the problems and questions framing AIMLab’s research, and reflects on how history of environmental impact assessments might be a model for how researchers and advocates can push for robust, holistic forms of accountability.

The Algorithmic Impact Methods Lab: Methods from the Field (September 2024)

The team reflects on learnings from AIMLab’s first year, including the patterns they are noticing across sectors and case studies, and why they have shifted from thinking about this work as about “impact assessment” to thinking about it as a form of impact engagement. They also lay out some of the emergent themes their work will address.