Laya Meriyanda

Qualifications

LLB (King's College London), BPC & LLM in Legal Studies (University of Law), MRes in Law (SOAS)

Email address

713972@soas.ac.uk  

Thesis Title  

Artificial Intelligence and Social Inequity: How Discriminatory Practices Inform Conceptualisations of Fairness in Predictive AI Systems and Their Impact on Marginalised Communities in India

Supervisors

Prof Philippe Cullet <pc38@soas.ac.uk>

Prof Somnath Batabyal <sb127@soas.ac.uk>

Biography

Laya is exploring the critical intersection of Artificial Intelligence (AI), social inequity, and the law. Currently, she is analysing how discriminatory practices shape our understanding of fairness in predictive AI systems and the profound impact they have on marginalised communities. 

Her journey began during her undergraduate studies, where she developed a keen interest in technology, law, and human rights. This combination led her to delve deeper into the socio-legal aspects of AI, with a particular emphasis on its implications in India.

Laya's professional aspiration was oriented towards litigation, prompting her to undertake the bar course. Subsequently, she pursued her interest in academic research by pursuing postgraduate studies at SOAS (School of Oriental and African Studies). At SOAS, her interests gravitated towards the intersection of socio-legal studies and technology, with a particular focus on the Indian context.

Laya has found immense satisfaction in conducting research that explores the interplay between technology, law, and social justice. Her work focuses on ethical considerations in AI design and implementation, conceptualisations of fairness, and the socio-legal implications of AI technologies. Her work aims to uncover the hidden biases in data and advocate for more equitable solutions. Her work particularly focuses on the impact of reflections of discriminatory practises in AI systems, against marginalised communities in India. She argues for integrating principles of privacy, fairness, transparency and accountability into the design phase of AI systems, emphasising the importance of multidisciplinary collaboration to identify and mitigate potential ethical issues. 

Laya's research contributes to the growing discourse that attempt to bridge the gap between technological advancements and social equity.

Research Interests

Intersection of artificial intelligence, digitisation, social change, social justice, human rights and socio-legal studies.