Maria Isabel Magaña, a Ph.D. candidate in the University of Maryland’s College of Information, studies the sociotechnical impacts of artificial intelligence and develops frameworks for participatory, trustworthy AI design. Advised by Professors Daniel Greene and Katie Shilton, Magaña uses mixed-methods research to examine how AI systems shape—and are shaped by—the communities they affect.
Drawing on her experience as an investigative journalist in Colombia, Mexico, Spain and the United States, Magaña brings a global, context-aware perspective to her work. Her international background informs her understanding that AI is not a neutral or uniform technology—it is deeply embedded in social, cultural and political contexts.
In this video produced by the Institute for Trustworthy AI in Law & Society (TRAILS), Magaña explores how AI is far from a straightforward system. She highlights how different regions of the world approach AI development and governance in distinct ways, challenging stereotypes about which communities can or cannot lead in technological innovation.
In Latin America, for example, she points to a long-standing tradition of collective decision-making, where communities and diverse stakeholders come together to shape their shared future. This collaborative culture offers important lessons for participatory AI governance and more inclusive technology design, says Magaña.