Project description
Exploring the fairness of natural language processing models
Natural language processing (NLP) is essential for creating AI that can learn, understand and communicate in human languages. However, NLP faces challenges in ensuring fairness and robustness in its models, often due to a focus on dataset size rather than quality. The ERC-funded DataDivers project aims to tackle this issue by developing a revolutionary framework for measuring data diversity within NLP datasets. The project will investigate the impact of data diversity on NLP model behaviour and devise innovative solutions for leveraging diversity to create more robust and fair models. Through these efforts DataDivers will transform how NLP approaches data diversity, leading to advancements in AI fairness and performance.
Objective
Despite great progress in the field of Natural Language Processing (NLP), the field is still struggling to ensure the robustness and fairness of models. So far, NLP has prioritized data size over data quality. Yet there is growing evidence suggesting that the diversity of data, a key dimension of data quality, is crucial for fair and robust NLP models. Many researchers are therefore trying to create more diverse datasets, but there is no clear path for them to follow. Even the fundamental question “How can we measure the diversity of a dataset?” is currently wide open. It is both surprising and concerning that we still lack the tools and theoretical insights to understand, improve, and leverage data diversity in NLP.
DataDivers will 1) develop the first ever framework to measure data diversity in NLP datasets; 2) investigate how data diversity impacts NLP model behavior; and 3) develop novel approaches that harness data diversity for fairer and more robust NLP models. I operationally define the diversity of a text collection as the variability of texts along specific dimensions (e.g. semantic, lexical, and sociolinguistic). Sociolinguistic diversity in particular, is an overlooked but crucial dimension, which I am committed to addressing.
DataDivers will break new ground by taking a comprehensive view of data diversity, which is urgently needed for robust and fair NLP. Its approach will be both theoretical and empirical. It will combine insights from disciplines that have developed methodologies to quantify data diversity with rigorous empirical experimentation. DataDivers will take a unique view on data diversity: measuring it at the dataset level, and across contexts for individual features. Finally, DataDivers will use its framework to develop diversity-informed data collection and model training methods. DataDivers’ results will impact the full NLP development pipeline—from data collection to evaluation—and open up a new, urgently needed, area of research.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
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Topic(s)
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Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
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Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC Grants
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Call for proposal
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Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2024-STG
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3584 CS Utrecht
Netherlands
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