Enzian Theater Maitland, FL
Laura Brattain, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Medicine in the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of Central Florida (UCF) College of Medicine
Humans in the Loop— Understanding Human Bias in Ai
Program Description
Dr. Laura Brattain from the University of Central Florida’s Institute of Artificial Intelligence discusses biomedical artificial intelligence and the challenges of medical data annotation in AI applications.
Presented At
Enzian Theater Maitland, FL
Film Synopsis
A single mother from the Oraon tribe balances training AI systems and reconnecting with her roots, while her pre-teen son struggles to accept their new life away from the city.
Aranya Sahay’s captivating debut Humans in the Loop portrays Nehma, a tribal woman who returns to her Jharkhand village post-divorce with her children. To sustain her family, she becomes a data annotator, a role reflecting the real-life involvement of many Adivasi women in India’s burgeoning AI industry.
Supported by Goa-based Storiculture’s Museum of Imagined Futures, this uniquely whimsical film, drawing inspiration from Karishma Mehrotra’s article “Human Touch,” weaves a story about the significant yet often unrecognized contributions of women from rural and semi-rural backgrounds in India undertaking meticulous data labeling tasks foundational to the development of AI, and emphasizing the critical yet overlooked role these communities play in shaping technological futures.
Sahay offers a nuanced exploration of identity, technology, and empowerment through Nehma’s journey by empathetically exploring how the lived experiences of data annotators can influence AI biases, prompting viewers to reconsider AI’s ethical dimensions and its impact on marginalized communities.
About the Speaker
Laura Brattain, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor of Medicine in the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of Central Florida (UCF) College of Medicine, with secondary faculty appointments in the College of Engineering and Computer Science. She earned her Ph.D. in Engineering Sciences from the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, where her doctoral research focused on ultrasound-guided surgical robots designed for minimally invasive, beating-heart procedure. Dr. Brattain’s research blends biomedical artificial intelligence (AI), medical ultrasound and surgical robotics. Her work emphasizes the integration of real-time AI systems, from powerful cloud computing to lightweight edge AI embedded in smart devices. She is motivated by a passion for healthcare innovation, aiming to develop real-time diagnostic assistants and enhance minimally invasive procedures for better clinical decision support in diverse care environments. Dr. Brattain is a part of UCF’s newly announced Institute of Artificial Intelligence, a bold, university-wide initiative to unite renowned faculty experts who are advancing AI across disciplines and across multiple colleges — enhancing students’ educational experiences, as well as driving discovery that positively impacts industry, the economy and society.