RASHID MUSHKANI

I am an IVADO Postdoctoral Fellow at Université de Montréal’s Faculty of Law, working with Catherine Régis on the AI Pluralism Index: an interoperable framework for pluralism in civic AI.

My research asks who can shape an AI system’s criteria and challenge its public use. I work on democratic AI governance, civic participation, public institutions and administrative accountability, pluralistic evaluation, and urban public space.

I hold a Ph.D. (interdisciplinaire en aménagement) from Université de Montréal, defended on 24 August 2026 under the supervision of Shin Alexandre Koseki. My thesis, The urban right to AI: Pluralistic co-design and governance of public space, argues that cities must govern the data and models through which they justify priorities, alongside the physical city.

I am also co-founder and CEO of Cocoon Lab, which develops AI tools for planning and building review.

I hold a Master of Engineering in Architecture and Civil Engineering from Toyohashi University of Technology, Japan, where I studied socio-spatial equity in urban parks. Professionally, I've collaborated with the Aga Khan Development Network and taught architecture and environmental design at Kabul University.

I lecture in the School of Urban Planning and Landscape Architecture at Université de Montréal, where I teach the master’s course Urbanisme international (URB 6850). My research includes Street Review and Artificial Intelligence Alignment for Inclusion (AIAI).

From 2023 to 2025, I worked with Mila’s AI4Humanity team on participatory AI projects and led a nine-person project team. I continue to collaborate with academics, professionals, policymakers, and communities on AI governance and spatial justice.

Email me for questions or collaboration opportunities.