CITP Seminar: Inyoung Cheong - AI Manipulation and Freedom of Thought

Inyoung Cheong examines how AI-driven manipulation challenges traditional understandings of freedom of thought in constitutional law. She argues that while freedom of thought has historically existed in the shadow of free speech doctrine, the rise of AI systems demands its recognition as an independent right. Drawing from constitutional history and contemporary technological developments, Cheong demonstrates how AI systems pose unprecedented threats to cognitive autonomy through personalized content delivery, behavioral prediction, and subtle psychological influence—challenges that traditional legal frameworks struggle to address.

Cheong’s analysis reveals how the historical assumption that human thought remains naturally protected within the mind no longer holds in an era of sophisticated AI systems designed to shape user behavior and decision-making. Her talk will explore how this technological reality necessitates a reconceptualization of freedom of thought, with implications extending beyond traditional free speech doctrine into areas such as intellectual privacy, product liability, and AI fiduciary duties.

Bio:

Inyoung Cheong(Link is external) (Link opens in new window) is a multidisciplinary researcher specializing in AI safety, alignment, and regulatory principles. Her work bridges law and computer science, focusing on how free speech law applies to algorithmic decision-making, establishing guiding principles for responsible AI systems, and advancing AI governance to encode human values as legal rights.

Cheong’s publications span premier academic venues in law (University of Cincinnati Law Review), computer science (ACM FAccT, AIES), and interdisciplinary fields (AI and Ethics, Trust & Safety Research Conference). Her research was highlighted by OpenAI, and her insights on generative AI were featured in the Wall Street Journal. She is also a recipient of the 2019 Fulbright Graduate Scholarship.

Cheong completed her Ph.D. at the University of Washington School of Law, collaborating with the UW Computer Science Department’s Privacy & Security Lab and Social Futures Lab. She holds a Master of Law from Seoul National University and a B.A. in Art Studies and Economics from Hongik University.

Her professional background includes roles as a senior policymaker in the South Korean government’s Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism (2016-2019) and the Korea Communications Commission (2012-2016). She has also interned at the United Nations’ Under-Secretary-General office (2020) and the Administrative Conference of the United States (2021).

In-person attendance is open to Princeton University faculty, staff and students. 

If you need an accommodation for a disability please contact Jean Butcher at butcher@princeton.edu at least one week before the event.

Sponsorship of an event does not constitute institutional endorsement of external speakers or views presented.