Accessing and Democratizing AI for Whom? Student Learning through an Algorithm-Centered Supply Chain Case Study

Questioning who has access to knowledge, skills, tools, and data becomes paramount as algorithms and the artificial intelligence (AI) systems they support find widespread applications. To address these concerns, "AI democratization" has become a prominent goal. In broad strokes, democratization allows more people to understand and work with AI, but a central question remains: for whom is AI being democratized? As the phrase can represent different meanings and stakeholders, grounding the concept of democratization for undergraduate students can be challenging. This ongoing work explores student engagement with the definitions of democratizing AI through a case study highlighting a fictional (but realistic) isolated community at risk of losing its last local grocery store and the potential for technology to address the supply chain fallout. Using role-play as the instructional activity for participants to engage in a collaborative peer-learning environment, students were immersed in a verisimilar discussion, envisioning the forms democratization can take. Seventy students participated in a course focused on technology's global and social impact, and their responses were analyzed before and after participating in the role-play activity. Overall, by being primed to the discussion on democratization through pre-assigned resources, students highlighted a nuanced understanding for whom democratization was relevant even before participating in the role-play. Results from statistical analysis showed significant improvement in recognizing the democratization of AI development, profits, and governance. Additionally, most students highlighted the role-play discussion as having strengthened the concepts they highlighted initially, but some described a broader view and recognition of other levels of democratization.