ACESOR: a critical engagement in systems of oppression AI assessment tool

The subarea of AI ethics and fairness research has done a lot of broad and far reaching research on the impact of AI on society. Unfortunately, much of this work has not included critical engagement with systems of oppression, limiting the understanding of why AI has the impacts it does. This paper introduces the Assessment of Critical Engagement in Systems of Oppression in Research (ACESOR) rubric as an assessment tool that can help researchers bridge this gap by providing guided critical engagement. Interviews were also conducted with experts who engage with systems of oppression in their work to gather feedback about the field’s current state, barriers to critical engagement, and opinions about the rubric and its use. Based on expert input, the field overall is doing great work, but more needs to be done to increase critical engagement, with some changes needing to come from the systemic level. The rubric is a valuable tool for researchers and practitioners, but it is not a single solution. This paper introduces the ACESOR rubric, highlights expert feedback, and provides an example of how the rubric could be used with the goal that the rubric as a tool will push the field forward toward more critical engagement.