Madeleine Clare Elish is a cultural anthropologist examining the societal impacts of AI and automation. She is a senior research scientist at Google. Previously she led the AI on the Ground Initiative at Data & Society, where she and her team investigated the promises and risks of integrating AI technologies into society.

As a researcher and anthropologist, Madeleine has worked to reframe debates about the ethical design, use, and governance of AI systems. She has conducted field work across varied industries and communities, ranging from the Air Force, the driverless car industry, and commercial aviation to precision agriculture and emergency healthcare. Her research has been published and cited in scholarly journals and mainstream media publications. She holds a PhD in Anthropology from Columbia University and an SM in Comparative Media Studies from MIT.