Ben Zefeng Zhang

I am a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Michigan School of Information (UMSI), co-advised by Dr. Oliver Haimson and Dr. Michaelanne Thomas. Broadly, I am interested in studying how data-driven and AI systems reconfigure identity, labor, mobility, and power, along with the resulting sociotechnical implications informed by the fields of HCI (Human-computer interaction), Science and Technology Studies (STS), and ICTD (Information Communication Technologies & Development).

My work takes a human-centered approach, focusing on the often invisible labor and precarity involved in producing, maintaining, and using AI infrastructures among low-resource and marginalized communities. To achieve these insights, I employ a life-cycle-centered approach, leveraging ethnographic and qualitative research methods to examine and inform the design of these systems, from their creation and implementation to their governance.

My work has appeared at venues including ACM CSCW GROUP, AAAI ICWSM, Social Media and Society, 4S, and AoIR. I have received fellowships from the Rackham Graduate School, the International Institute, the Lieberthal-Rogel Center for Chinese Studies at the University of Michigan, and the Weizenbaum Institute.

Before graduate school, I worked for a few years as a journalist and photographer. I enjoy cycling, swimming, running, hiking and yoga. Please feel free to contact me directly.

Research areas:

Human-Computer Interaction and Social Computing
Science, Technology, and Society (STS)
Information Communication Technologies & Development (ICTD)
Labor, Mobility, and Infrastructure
AI production and data marketplace
Platform and data governance