On November 19-20, leading researchers within artificial intelligence’s (AI) impact on humanity and society, policy makers, and representatives from business life gathered at Lindholmen Conference Centre in Gothenburg for this year’s AI for Humanity and Society conference. The conference theme was “Creating Shared AI Futures” where the discussions revolved around creating envisioned futures for a desirable world with AI.
In a world where media narratives often paint a future shaped by escalating conflicts, climate crises, and the rapid rise of AI, it is easy to feel overwhelmed and uncertain about the path forward. The discussions at this year’s WASP-HS conference AI for Humanity and Society revolved around envisioning desirable futures with AI.
“By immersing ourselves in envisioned worlds, we have valuable perspective on the actions needed to create a more desirable future,” says Anna Foka, Professor in Digital Humanities at Uppsala University and chair of the conference.
“It is crucial to challenge the sense of inevitability by exploring alternative, more hopeful scenarios,” adds Jonas Ivarsson, Professor in Informatics at Gothenburg University and chair of the conference.
To do this, the conference featured six interactive pre-conference workshops, five speeches and four lightning talks that laid the foundation for roundtable discussions and mingle sessions.
The Need to Act for a World with Trust
Mark Coeckelbergh, WASP-HS Guest Professor in Philosophy of Media and Technology at Uppsala University, addressed the significant impact of AI on democracy. He emphasized that for democracy to function effectively, citizens must be able to form their own beliefs. However, this becomes increasingly challenging when beliefs can be manipulated. This is particularly true with current AI technologies, which can be used to create images, videos, and text to intentionally portray false realities and manipulate others.
“As human beings, we are already very influenceable. With AI, it is possible to micro-target people with advertisements and propaganda to change their beliefs and opinions,” Coeckelbergh explained. “Democracy is about sharing and making a common world. If we do not manage to do that, the alternative is a governance that is enforcing stricter obedience at the expense of our personal freedom,” he added.
Annette Markham, Professor of Media Literacy and Public Engagement at Utrecht University, highlighted the need to question the widespread adoption of AI and to consider who truly benefits from its use.
“A lot of people think, ‘I need to use AI, but I don’t know why.’ AI is becoming prominent in various sectors simply because it’s available,” Markham noted. “When a company declares, ‘AI is our future,’ the ideological power behind that statement becomes clear. It serves certain interests by reinforcing narratives of AI as an unstoppable, inevitable force.”
Both Markham and Coeckelbergh urged attendees to envision a common world of trust with AI, emphasizing that AI is changeable. Virginia Dignum, Professor in Responsible AI at Umeå University, expressed a similar view. She encouraged continuous active participation in discussions about AI.
“We (humans) are designing AI, which means that we are the ones making the choices. Deciding who gets to design is an important discussion, and if we are not part of that discussion, then someone else is deciding for us,” Dignum stated.
“To address these challenges, we need to shift focus from stories about the technology to stories about humans and society, and the societal impact of AI. We also need to move from speculative thinking to aspirational thinking. This requires us to be more proactive and courageous,” Markham concluded.
Speakers at the Conference:
Amanda Lagerkvist, Professor of Media and Communication Studies at the Department of Informatics and Media, Uppsala University
Annette Markham, Professor of Media Literacy and Public Engagement in the Department of Media and Culture at Utrecht University
Francis Lee, Associate Professor the Department of Science, Technology and Society, Chalmers University of Technology
Johan Lundin, Professor in Informatics at the Department of Applied IT, University of Gothenburg
Marie Utterberg Modén, Fil. Doctor in Applied IT, University of Gothenburg
Mark Coeckelbergh, WASP-HS Guest Professor in Philosophy of Media and Technology at Uppsala University
Mathias Broth, Professor of Language and Culture, Linköping University
Sara Ljungblad, Associate Professor in Interaction Design, Chalmers University of Technology
Virginia Dignum, Professor in Responsible AI, Umeå University
