Who Decides? Law, Values, and Algorithms in an Automated World

This talk discusses an alternative to neo‑classical economics by showing how value in markets is socially constructed through organizational actors, actions, and texts. It highlights how specialized intermediaries shape interpretations of value, how managers can strategically influence these meanings, and how digital disruption reshapes these valuation processes.

Some judges have started asking LLMs how to interpret contracts and statutes. This is a very bad idea. Judging isn't like writing code, where specs and tests can confirm that a program works as intended, and it isn't like making art, where beauty is in the eye of the beholder. The only way for a judge to check that an LLM gave a good answer is to interpret the language themselves—to do the work that the LLM was supposed to help them with.

Algorithms help determine how we find jobs, schools, and even partners; who doctors or social workers prioritize; and what we see on social media. I will explore the often-hidden ways algorithms -- ranging from modern generative AI to the simple rules that allocate public resources -- shape everyday life, for better and for worse. I will draw on my group's work analyzing, designing, building, deploying, and evaluating public-interest computational systems, including with several NYC government agencies, on social media, and on gig economy platforms.