Damien Patrick Williams

Dr. Damien Patrick Williams is a scholar whose work integrates philosophy, data science, and technology ethics. Williams serves as an assistant professor in philosophy and data science at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. He holds a doctorate in science, technology, and society from Virginia Tech and a master's degree from Georgia State University in philosophy and religious studies, focusing on the intersection of philosophy, comparative religion, and occult theory and method.

Williams researches how technologies such as algorithms, machine intelligence, and biotechnologies are shaped by human values, knowledge systems, philosophical perspectives, social structures, and religious beliefs. His interdisciplinary approach informs his commentary on artificial intelligence, technology ethics, and the societal impacts of emerging technologies. Williams has been a keynote speaker and was featured in TIME Magazine. He has appeared on podcasts and provided interviews for national and international publications including WIRED, the Atlantic, and the Boston Globe, discussing the implications of advanced technology for human societies.

Williams has contributed to a range of scholarly and public-facing publications. His essay "Go Upgrade Yourself" appears in "Futurama and Philosophy." He contributed the chapter "Disabling 'AI': Biases and Values Embedded in 'Artificial Intelligence'" to the "Handbook on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence." His essay "On Bullshit Engines' Politics" is included in "Arrangements of Power: Tracing Langdon Winner's Legacy Within and Beyond the Philosophy of Technology." Williams has also written for popular outlets, including "How Heeding Disabled People Can Help Everyone Survive Crises" for Slate's Future Tense.

Williams received a $500,000 grant from the Mellon Foundation to support the creation of a Disability Community Technology Center, which provides guidance for developing disabled-led technology and disability-forward technological futures through humanities-based scholarship and arts outreach. The grant supports educational workshops, cultural events, an artist residency program, and an inclusive gaming community. Williams's work centers marginalized voices in the design and governance of technology. He has written numerous articles and delivered presentations on topics such as the impact of marginalized communities on the development of artificial intelligence and technosocial structures, at conferences spanning philosophy of technology, popular culture studies, and AI policy.

Williams has served on the boards of nonprofit organizations including the Center for Democracy and Technology and the Disability Inclusion Fund, and has consulted for universities and research and development groups such as SRI International. He has also worked with organizations including Olin College, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, New America, and Arizona State University's Center for Science and the Imagination. Williams addresses issues such as AI bias, disability justice, and the philosophical foundations of machine consciousness, contributing to ongoing conversations in technology ethics, artificial intelligence, and the social impact of emerging technologies.