News Story

Shifting Power: Rethinking AI for a More Just World

Tuesday 24 Mar 2026

This article is part of a special series celebrating KMi’s 30 years. Over the past three decades, KMi has been at the forefront of pioneering research and innovation in knowledge technologies, shaping the way information is created, shared, and understood. In this series, we revisit some of the most impactful projects that have influenced academia, industry, and society, highlighting their significance and legacy.

Artificial Intelligence is transforming society, but who benefits, and who bears the cost? The Shifting Power project led by Dr Tracie Farrell and funded by a UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship, asks a bold question: How can we create a more just society with AI? Instead of asking whether AI is “good” or “bad,” the team explores how it shifts power, and what that means for justice in an unequal world.

Drawing on queer feminist theory and decolonial perspectives, Shifting Power challenges dominant narratives in AI ethics. The project argues that harm often stems not from algorithms themselves, but from unequal distribution of benefits, shaped by colonial legacies and philanthrocapitalism. Through collaborations with critical ecologists, demographers and artists, the team has hosted events like After AI?, a global symposium exploring ecological and societal risks, and partnered with museums and creative practitioners to imagine alternative futures.

Shifting Power’s research spans technical and cultural domains. from building datasets that map AI’s alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals to creating prototypes of “Queer AI” that embrace plurality and challenge norms. It also highlights how disciplinary silos hinder meaningful risk mitigation, advocating for post-disciplinary approaches that combine science, art and activism.

As AI becomes embedded in every aspect of life, Shifting Power reminds us that technology is never neutral. It’s about relationships, values and voices, and ensuring those voices include the most vulnerable. For KMi, this work is part of a bigger mission: shaping AI not just for efficiency, but for equity.