About this Event
This event is an opportunity for you to be informed and inspired.
Keynote:
Most artificial intelligence tools marketed for autism supports in classrooms, clinics, workplaces, and community settings share a common flaw: they were built by neurotypical developers, trained on neurotypical data, and evaluated against neurotypical standards. The result is not a neutral misfire; it is patterned misclassification that frames autistic communication as social difficulty, labels divergent thinking as deficit, and generates recommendations that too often manage behavior rather than support wellbeing and autonomy.
Dr. David Ruttenberg has spent two decades working on this problem: first as an autism father and FAU CARD board member and chairperson, then as a PhD researcher at University College London and the University of Cambridge, where he developed the first empirically validated model of sensory‑attentional and mental health pathways specific to autistic adults. His patented ethical wearable technology, co‑designed with autistic participants in clinical trials across two continents, offers one example of what responsible autism AI can look like.
In this talk, Dr. Ruttenberg gives Florida Atlantic CARD’s community partners the insight they need to evaluate AI tools critically, a practical framework to protect the people they serve, and a first look at technology that finally starts with the right question: “What does Phoebe actually need?”
Bio
Dr. David Ruttenberg holds an MPhil and PhD in Cognitive Neuroscience, Artificial Intelligence, and Ethics from University College London and the University of Cambridge, where he is an Honorary Senior Research Fellow. A Fulbright Specialist Awardee, NIH advisor, UK Parliament consultant, and holder of multiple patents for ethical wearable neurotechnology, he has been an FAU CARD board member and Chairperson for over a decade. He is also Phoebe’s dad.
Honoring: Kathryn Wall and the Safe Kids Program
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Florida Atlantic University, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton, United States
USD 0.00
