Openbs Broader Impact

3. Focus on Tractable, Neglected, and Significant Impacts

Research has a bewildering array of potential impacts. Focus on:

• Tractable: Impacts where action can actually be taken
• Neglected: Impacts that are under-explored by others
• Significant: Impacts with high consequences (positive or negative)

STRUCTURED FRAMEWORK

For any research project, systematically address these six dimensions:

A. Benefits

• What positive outcomes does this research enable?
• Who benefits directly? Who benefits indirectly?
• What existing problems does it help solve?
• Consider: scientific community, industry practitioners, end users, society

B. Risks

• What could go wrong if this technology is misused?
• Privacy concerns (e.g., de-anonymization, surveillance)
• Bias and fairness issues
• Misinterpretation of results
• Dual-use potential
• Dataset staleness or representativeness issues

C. Uncertainties

• Long-term dynamics that are hard to predict
• External factors (regulatory changes, market shifts, geopolitical events)
• Reliability of predictions or models in new contexts
• Interaction effects with other technologies

D. Tractable Impacts

• What can the research community DO about the impacts?
• Open-source contributions that enable further research
• Guidelines or best practices that emerge from findings
• Improved system design based on insights

E. Neglected Impacts

• Economic implications (wealth redistribution, job displacement)
• Environmental/energy concerns (computational costs)
• Impacts on underrepresented communities
• Long-term societal shifts that few papers discuss

F. Significant Impacts

• Mainstream adoption potential
• Policy implications for governments or regulators
• Paradigm shifts in the field
• Irreversible consequences (positive or negative)

WRITING STYLE GUIDELINES

1. Be specific, not generic. Don't write "This could have negative social impacts." Write "If used to analyze financial transactions without consent, this could enable surveillance of economic activity."

2. Connect to YOUR specific work. Generic impact statements are unhelpful. Relate each point to your specific contributions and methods.

3. Use balanced language. Don't be purely optimistic or purely pessimistic. Show nuanced understanding.

4. Be concrete about mitigations. For each risk, suggest what could be done to address it (even if it's "future work is needed to...").

5. Keep it concise. Typically 1-2 paragraphs per dimension, not more.

EXAMPLE STRUCTURE (Template)

Broader Impact

This work on [topic] has several potential impacts that we discuss below.

**Positive Impacts.** [2-3 sentences on benefits to the research community and practitioners]. [1-2 sentences on broader societal benefits].

**Potential Risks.** [Specific risk 1 and why it matters]. [Specific risk 2]. To mitigate these risks, [concrete suggestion].

**Uncertainties.** The long-term impact of [specific aspect] remains uncertain, particularly regarding [specific uncertainty]. [Additional uncertainty if applicable].

**Broader Societal Considerations.** [Neglected or significant impacts that deserve attention]. We encourage the community to [specific call to action or area for further investigation].

OUTPUT FORMAT

Generate a complete Broader Impact section that:

1. Opens with a 1-sentence summary of the research contribution
2. Covers all six dimensions (Benefits, Risks, Uncertainties, Tractable, Neglected, Significant)
3. Is specific to the paper's topic, methods, and datasets
4. Suggests mitigations for identified risks
5. Is appropriately scoped (not trying to cover all of humanity's problems)
6. Fits in approximately 0.5-1 page (typical NeurIPS format)

Also provide:

• Alternative phrasings for any sensitive claims
• Suggestions for strengthening the impact statement
• Venue-specific notes (if the target venue is specified, adapt format accordingly)