Briana Vecchione

I'm a Technical Researcher at Data & Society Research Institute, where I research what happens when people turn to AI for socioemotional use—particularly as it relates to mental, emotional, and behavioral health, and AI companionship. I develop user-centered frameworks, methods, and other artifacts to inform responsible design, evaluation, and regulation of AI for socioemotional use. This research spans several fields, including conversational AI, affective computing, and AI alignment. Naturally, this orientation extends into policy, advocacy, and community engagement work.

For an aggregated list of my recent study investigating how people use general-purpose LLMs for these purposes, see here.

I also serve as an institutional partner for Brown University's AI Research Institute on Interaction for AI Assistants (ARIA), where I produce and integrate participatory and empirical research to inform the landscape of AI care and support.

Historically, my work has centered on on sociotechnical algorithmic auditing and institutional accountability. This includes foundational work on dataset transparency (Datasheets for Datasets, CACM 2021), the history and social justice dimensions of audit methodologies (Algorithmic Auditing and Social Justice, EAAMO 2021), and empirical studies of audit tooling gaps and regulatory compliance in practice — including work on New York City's algorithmic bias audit law (Auditing Work, FAccT 2024, Best Paper Award; Null Compliance, FAccT 2024).

I hold a Ph.D. in Information Science from Cornell University. My work has been supported by Google, Facebook (Meta), Microsoft, the National Science Foundation, the MacArthur Foundation, the Mozilla Foundation, and the Notre Dame–IBM Tech Ethics Lab, among others.

You can contact me via:
Email: briana [at] datasociety [dot] net
Bluesky: @briana-v.bsky.social
LinkedIn: /in/brianavecchione/

Publications

* indicates peer-reviewed publications
** indicates equal contribution

"I Felt Very Seen, But Still Very Alone": Longitudinal Trajectories of General-Purpose LLM Use for Socioemotional Support
Meryl Ye** and Briana Vecchione**, Livia Garofalo, Ranjit Singh
Under review (2026).

Engagement-Optimized Care: When LLMs become Mental Health Infrastructure *
Briana Vecchione, Meryl Ye, Livia Garofalo, Ranjit Singh
Forthcoming, AIES (2026).

A reporting checklist for large language models in behavioral science *
Feuerriegel, S., Barrie, C., Crockett, M. J., Globig, L. K., McLoughlin, K. L., Mirea, D.-M., Spirling, A., Yang, D., ...Vecchione, B.,...Rathje, S., & Ribeiro, M. H.
Nature Human Behavior (2026).

Kits for Digital Methods: Doing Sociotechnical Research
Chapter 6: The AI Impact Engagement Report Kit
Tamara Kneese, Meg Young, Ranjit Singh, Briana Vecchione, Emnet Tafesse, Jacob Metcalf
Routledge (2026).

A Chatbot for the Soul: Mental Health Care, Privacy, and Intimacy in AI-Based Conversational Agents *
Tamara Kneese, Briana Vecchione, Alice Marwick
Commun. Change 1, 15 (2025).

AI is Mental: Evaluating the Role of LLMs in Supporting Mental Health and Well-Being *
Briana Vecchione, Ranjit Singh
Big Data & Society (2025).

Red-Teaming in the Public Interest
Ranjit Singh, Borhane Blili-Hamelin, Carol Anderson, Emnet Tafesse, Briana Vecchione, Beth Duckles, Jacob Metcalf
Data & Society (2025).

Towards AI Accountability Infrastructure: Gaps and Opportunities in AI Audit Tooling *
Victor Ojewale, Ryan Steed, Briana Vecchione, Abeba Birhane, Inioluwa Deborah Raji
ACM CHI (2025).

Algorithm Auditing: The Broken Bus on the Road to Algorithm Accountability *
Abeba Birhane, Ryan Steed, Victor Ojewale, Briana Vecchione, Inioluwa Deborah Raji
IEEE SaTML (2024).

Auditing Work: Exploring the New York City Algorithmic Bias Audit Regime *
Lara Groves, Jacob Metcalf, Alayna Kennedy, Briana Vecchione, Andrew Strait
ACM FAccT (2024). Best Paper Award

Null Compliance: NYC Local Law 144 and the Challenges of Algorithm Accountability *
Lucas Wright, Roxana Muenster, Briana Vecchione, Tianyao Qu, Pika (Senhuang) Cai, Alan Smith, COMM/INFO 2450 Student Investigators, Jacob Metcalf, J. Nathan Matias
ACM FAccT (2024).

Navigating the Complexities of Algorithmic Auditing: Challenges and Considerations
Briana Vecchione
Cornell University (2023).

Algorithmic Auditing and Social Justice: Lessons from the History of Audit Studies *
Briana Vecchione, Solon Barocas, Karen Levy
ACM EAAMO (2021).

Datasheets for Datasets *
Timnit Gebru, Jamie Morgenstern, Briana Vecchione, Jennifer Wortman Vaughan, Hanna Wallach, Hal Daumé III, Kate Crawford
ACM CACM (2021); Short version: ACM FAccT (2018)

Recommending Podcasts for Cold-Start Users Based on Music Listening and Taste *
Zahra Nazari, Christophe Charbuillet, Johan Pages, Martin Laurent, Denis Charrier, Briana Vecchione, Benjamin Carterette
ACM SIGIR (2020).

Public Writing & Policy

Protecting the Public from Chatbot Harms: Aligning State Policy with Research
Serena Oduro, Briana Vecchione, Meryl Ye, Livia Garofalo
Data & Society Points Blog (2026).

All the Lonely People, Where Do They All Belong? On Being Alone With Digital Companions
Briana Vecchione, Livia Garofalo
Data & Society Points Blog (2025).

What Happens When People Turn to Chatbots for Therapy?
Briana Vecchione
Data & Society Points Blog (2025).

Chatbots in Disguise: How Participants Use GenAI to Hack Qualitative Research
Ranjit Singh, Livia Garofalo, Briana Vecchione, Emnet Tafesse
Data & Society Points Blog (2025).

Spiritual Chatbots in Uncertain Times
Tamara Kneese, Briana Vecchione
ASAP/15 Special Issue (2025).

Algorithms and the Occult, or Chatbots are the New Psychic Friends Network
Tamara Kneese, Jeffrey Moro, Briana Vecchione
ASAP/15, Special Issue (2025).

The Algorithmic Impact Methods Lab: Methods from the Field
Tamara Kneese, Briana Vecchione, Ranjit Singh, Emnet Tafesse, Meg Young, Jacob Metcalf
Data & Society Points Blog (2024).

NTIA x OAT: Comment on FR Doc #2023-07776
Raji, Inioluwa Deborah, Abeba Birhane, Briana Vecchione, Ryan Steed, and Victor Ojewale. 2023. Submitted to the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Telecommunications and Information Administration Request for Comment on AI Accountability Policy (2023).

Mozilla Open Source Audit Tooling (OAT) Project: Comment on FR Doc #2023-28232.
Raji, Inioluwa Deborah, Abeba Birhane, Briana Vecchione, Ryan Steed, and Victor Ojewale. 2023. Submitted in response to the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology Request for Information on AI (2023).

Defining Public Interest Technology: Key Questions to Consider
Briana Vecchione
Cornell Tech Digital Life Initiative. 2022. (Workshopped at CSCW 2022)

Addressing Economic Inequality in NYC through Social Impact Tech Research at Blue Ridge Labs
Briana Vecchione
Cornell Tech Public Interest Technology Initiative (2021).

Selected Talks, Workshops, & Engagements

Infrastructures of Intimacy: Mental Health Chatbots as Care and Commodity
Briana Vecchione and Livia Garofalo
Dartmouth College: The Center for Technology and Behavioral Health (2026).

Investigating the Impact of Chatbots on Mental Well-being
Briana Vecchione and Livia Garofalo
The Pulitzer Center (2026).

Artificial Entanglement: What Happens When People Turn to AI for Mental Health Care?
Briana Vecchione
Northwestern University. Kabiller Science of Empathy Conference: AI & Empathy (2026).

CHI 2026 Workshop W51: Social and Emotional uses of AI
Invited workshop (2026).

Databite No. 165: Mental Health, Chatbots, and the Future of Care
Panelists: Luca Belli, Miranda Bogen, Marlynn Wei
Moderators: Livia Garofalo and Briana Vecchione
Data & Society Research Institute (2026).

Generative Conversations: Mental Health, Chatbots, and the Future of Care
Livia Garofalo and Briana Vecchione
Data & Society Research Institute. Closed workshop. (2026).

NewportFILM: A Panel Discussion on AI and Its Impact on Rhode Island
David Altounian, Timothy H. Henry, Michael Littman, Briana Vecchione
Newport Film Festival. Panel: The AI Doc (2026).

AI Companions and Mental Health Panel
Briana Vecchione, Julian De Freitas, Emily Weinstein
Yale Digital Ethics Center, Digital Vulnerabilities in the Age of AI Summit (2025).

Talking to Machines: How LLMs Are Changing Mental Health Support in the Age of AI
Briana Vecchione
University of Pennsylvania: PennAITech Collaboratory for Healthy Aging (2025).

Mind, Machine, and Me: Mental Health Chatbots and Techno-selfhood
Livia Garofalo and Briana Vecchione
Society for Social Studies of Science (4S) (2025).

Mind, Machine, and Me: Mental Health Chatbots and Techno-selfhood
Livia Garofalo and Briana Vecchione
Italian Society for the Study of Science and Technology (2025).

Databite No. 161: Red-Teaming Generative AI Harm
Lama Ahmad, Camille François, Tarleton Gillespie, Briana Vecchione, Borhane Blili-Hamelin
Data & Society (2025).

Algorithms and the Occult, or Chatbots are the New Psychic Friends Network
Tamara Kneese and Briana Vecchione
ASAP/15. New York, NY (2024).

Guest Lecture: Algorithmic Auditing: Challenges and Considerations
Briana Vecchione
University of Pennsylvania, CIS7000 Algorithmic Justice (2024). [Remote]

Auditing AI Workshop
Briana Vecchione
Notre Dame–IBM Technology Ethics Lab. June 2023. Notre Dame, IN.

Who Has an Interest in “Public Interest Technology”? Critical Questions for Working with Local Governments & Impacted Communities
Briana Vecchione
Conference on Computer-Supported Cooperative Work & Social Computing (CSCW). November 2022. [Remote]

Navigating the Algorithm Audit Tooling Landscape
Briana Vecchione
Mozilla All Hands, Trustworthy AI "Big Ideas". September 2022. Waikiki, HI.

Algorithmic Auditing for Social Justice
Briana Vecchione
ACM Conference on Equity and Access in Algorithms, Mechanisms, and Optimization (EAAMO). October 2021. [Remote]

Press

I'm still working on a comprehensive list—thanks for your patience!