Last week, DIGSUM members participated in a roundtable on The Critical Need for Critical AI Research.
The roundtable adressed the need for, and role of, Critical AI Studies, the shape such studies may take in different disciplinary fields, and how it contributes to solving the societal challenges presented by the increased implementation of AI.
The roundtable was moderated by DIGSUM member Markus Naarttijärvi, Professor of Law, Umeå University, and CELS-AI Focus Area Coordinator. The invited guests at the roundtable were
Karin Danielsson, Director of Humlab, and Associate Professor of Informatics, Umeå University
Pieter Verdegem, Reader in Technology and Society, Westminster School of Media and Communication
Rosalie Waelen, PhD Candidate in AI-Ethics, University of Twente
DIGSUM Director Simon Lindgren, Professor of Sociology, Umeå University
The Critical Need for Critical AI research roundtable was part of the inauguration of Umeå University’s new Centre for Transdisciplinary AI (TAIGA), and particularly the CELS-AI focus area. This focus area builds on the ELS approach to AI – the analysis of AI in light of ethical, legal, and societal values and expectations, thereby engaging in the analysis of broader societal dimensions of AI.