Skip to content
AI & Society Lab

AI & Society Lab

The AI & Society Lab is an inter- and transdisciplinary research laboratory at the interface between research, industry and civil society. It explores the societal changes and challenges that arise from the introduction of artificial intelligence in political, social and cultural processes. The Lab aims to initiate new connections and productive exchanges between stakeholders and to enrich the discourse around AI with contributions that enable conscious and informed policy-making processes, for example through academic publications, multi-stakeholder workshops, public events or media productions. In doing so, the AI & Society Lab is on its way to becoming a thought leader for an inclusive, human rights-friendly and sustainable AI strategy in Europe. Currently, the Lab’s largest project is the junior research group on Public Interest AI.

 

The AI & Society Lab is dedicated to practical topics to explore the societal implications of AI applications, for example the question of how AI infrastructures can be developed and deployed in a public good oriented way. At the same time, the Lab focuses on the concrete implementation of normative guidelines in governance processes.
The Lab sees itself as an experimental space for new formats to advance knowledge generation and knowledge transfer on AI. Together with our partners, we develop innovative research designs or event formats that enable a process of communication in a practical and interactive way.
The topic of AI is buzzing. But beyond the hype, it is about profound social changes that go hand in hand with the increasing automation of infrastructures. In exchange with our partners, we explore how this development can be made inclusive, in harmony with human rights and sustainable.

Activities

Symposium: Civic Coding - Using AI for Common Good

This event discusses the results of the research report "Civic Coding – Grundlagen und empirische Einblicke zur Unterstützung gemeinwohlorientierter KI", conducted by the AI & Society Lab on behalf of the Civic Coding Initiative.

The 16 policy recommendations developed on the basis of the study can be found in the policy paper "Civic Coding. Empirische Erkenntnisse und Empfehlungen zur Unterstützung gemeinwohlorientierter KI".
18. October 2022 – Civic Coding Initiative

Kontakt

Theresa Züger, Dr.

Research Group Lead: Public Interest AI | AI & Society Lab

Explore current HIIG Activities

Du siehst Eisenbahnschienen. Die vielen verschiedenen Abzweigungen symbolisieren die Entscheidungsmöglichkeiten von Künstlicher Intelligenz in der Gesellschaft. Manche gehen nach oben, unten, rechts. Manche enden auch in Sackgassen. Englisch: You see railway tracks. The many different branches symbolise the decision-making possibilities of artificial intelligence and society. Some go up, down, to the right. Some also end in dead ends.

Artificial intelligence and society

Artificial Intelligence is operating in diverse contexts of our society. What can we learn from its political, social and cultural facets?

Publication

With the Civic Coding Policy Paper, we have developed 16 recommendations to promote public interest AI in a sustainable way.

Read the policy paper (German)

  • Women in Tech profile pic
    Science engagement · Society & culture

    Women* in Tech

    Das Transferprojekt Frauen* im Tech-Sektor erarbeitet intersektionale Fragestellungen zur Gleichberechtigung in der Technologiebranche.
  • AI · Science engagement

    Artificial intelligence, explained in human terms

    This project uses an interdisciplinary approach to explain models for artificial intelligence (AI) to a broad civil society, to make it explainable, interpretable and...
  • AI · Society & culture

    Public Interest AI

    The “Public Interest AI” research group is developing an operationalisable analysis procedure that will allow Public Interest to be defined in an AI-specific way...

Former employees

Edited works

Thimm, C., & Bächle, T. C. (Eds.) (2019). Die Maschine: Freund oder Feind? Mensch und Technologie im digitalen Zeitalter. Wiesbaden: Springer VS. Publication details

Book contributions and chapters

Bächle, T. C., Ernst, C., Schröter, J., & Thimm, C. (2018). Selbstlernende autonome Systeme? – Medientechnologische und medientheoretische Bedingungen am Beispiel von Alphabets „Differentiable Neural Computer” (DNC)‘. In C. Engemann & A. Sudmann (Eds.), Machine Learning – Medien, Infrastrukturen und Technologien der Künstlichen Intelligenz (pp. 169-194). Bielefeld: transcript. Publication details

Thimm, C., & Bächle, T. C. (2018). Autonomie der Technologie und autonome Systeme als ethische Herausforderung. In M. Karmasin, F. Krotz, & M. Rath (Eds.), Maschinenethik. Normative Grenzen autonomer Systeme (pp. 73-87). Wiesbaden: Springer VS. DOI: /10.1007/978-3-658-21083-0 Publication details

Bächle, T. C., Regier, P., & Bennewitz, M. (2017). Sensor und Sinnlichkeit. Humanoide Roboter als selbstlernende soziale Interfaces und die Obsoleszenz des Impliziten. In C. Ernst & J. Schröter (Eds.), Medien und implizites Wissen. Themenheft der Zeitschrift „Navigationen“, 2/2017 (pp. 66-85). Siegen: Universitätsverlag. Publication details

Working paper

Züger, T., Faßbender, J., Kuper, F., Nenno, S., Katzy-Reinshagen, A., & Kühnlein, I. (2022). Civic Coding: Grundlagen und empirische Einblicke zur Unterstützung gemeinwohlorientierter KI. Civic Coding Initiative. Publication details

Other publications

Asghari, H., Birner, N., Burchardt, A., Dicks, D., Fassbender, J., Feldhus, N., Hewett, F., Hofmann, V., Kettemann, M. C., Schulz, W., Simon, J., Stolberg-Larsen, J., & Züger, T. (2022). What to explain when explaining is difficult. An interdisciplinary primer on XAI and meaningful information in automated decision-making. HIIG Impact Publication Series. Publication details

Züger, T., Katzy-Reinshagen, A., Fassbender, J., Kuper, F., & Kühnlein, I. (2022). Civic Coding. Empirische Erkenntnisse und Empfehlungen zur Unterstützung gemeinwohlorientierter KI. HIIG Impact Publication Series. Publication details

Bächle, T. C., & Sauer, F. (2019). Autonomous Weapons Systems – Frank Sauer über die Regulation autonomer Waffen, [Audio Podcast] Exploring digital spheres – a podcast by HIIG. Retrieved from: hiig.de/podcast. Publication details

Bächle, T. C., & Baecker, D. (2019). Understanding (A)I? Dirk Baecker über den Beitrag der Systemtheorie zur Debatte um Künstliche Intelligenz, [Audio Podcast] Exploring digital spheres – a podcast by HIIG. Retrieved from: hiig.de/podcast. Publication details

Schmeiss, J., & Friederici, N. (2019). How much magic lies behind German AI production? Digital Society Blog. Publication details

Dreyer, S. / Schulz, W. (2018). Was bringt die Datenschutz-Grundverordnung für automatisierte Entscheidungssysteme? Gutachten zur neuen Datenschutz-Grundverordnung, expert report. Publication details

Ogolla, S. (2017). Artificial Intelligence at a Crossroads. Publication details

Lectures and presentations

How AI can serve the Public Interest
Women in Data Science Conference Chemnitz. Women in Data Science Chemnitz. University Library Chemnitz, Chemnitz, Germany: 04.05.2023 Further information

Theresa Züger

On the Prevalence of Leichte Sprache on the German Web
15th ACM Web Science Conference 2023. Association of Computing Machinery. 15th ACM Web Science Conference 2023, Evanston, USA: 30.04.2023

Hadi Asghari

Eine Bestandsaufnahme des CO2-Fußabdrucks von AI: Was wissen wir und wie können wir ihn verringern?
KI Camp 2023. Gesellschaft für Informatik. Factory Berlin Görlitzer Park, Berlin, Germany: 26.04.2023 Further information

Sami Nenno, Hadi Asghari

AI for Sustainability & Sustainable AI
CIFE Master programmes in Global Economic Governance & Public Affairs (GEGPA) and EU Trade & Climate Diplomacy (EUDIPLO). Centre International de Formation Européenne (CIFE). Centre International de Formation Européenne (CIFE), Berlin, Germany: 17.03.2023

Asghari, H., Nenno, S.

Public Interest AI
Feministische Digitalpolitik (Session: Public Interest AI). Superrr Lab. Superrr Lab, Berlin, Germany: 20.02.2023

Theresa Züger

Problems of Technology for Society
Ethical, Social, and Legal Foundations of Data Science Bachelors Course. University of Göttingen. University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany: 15.02.2023

Hadi Asghari

Seminar: Digital Citizenship
Digital Citizenship. Vienna University of Economics and Business. Vienna University of Economics and Business, Vienna, Austria: 12.12.2022

Theresa Züger

Seminar: Demystifying AI: Typologies to map AI-systems and datasets.. KISD - Köln International School of Design. KISD - Köln International School of Design, Cologne, Germany: 18.11.2022

Judith Fassbender

Public Interest AI
UNESCO Fachausschuss Kommunikation und Information. German Comission for UNESCO. UNESCO Fachausschuss Kommunikation und Information, Brussels, Belgium: 15.11.2022 Further information

Theresa Züger

Was bedeutet Transparenz für KI-Systeme?
ZVKI Fachforum. iRights.Lab. Online, Berlin, Germany: 10.11.2022 Further information

Theresa Züger

Digital tools for text simplification
Seminar “Sprache als Schwelle zur Kunst? Kunstvermittlung und Konzepte einfacher und leichter Sprache”. Kunsthalle Osnabrück. Online, Osnabrück, Germany: 09.11.2022

Freya Hewett

Civic Coding – KI für das Gemeinwohl nutzen
Civic Coding – KI für das Gemeinwohl nutzen. Bundesministerium für Arbeit und Soziales. Impact HUB Berlin, Berlin, Germany: 18.10.2022 Further information

Theresa Züger, Judith Fassbender, Freia Kuper

POCHEN Biennale 2022: Die (neue) Vermessung der Welt (Session: Die hybride Gesellschaft). Spinnerei e.V.. Online, Chemnitz, Germany: 06.10.2022 Further information

Theresa Züger

Design Patterns – Prozessformate für eine verantwortungsvolle Umsetzung von KI-Systemen
KI-Lab. The Policy Lab Digital, Work & Society of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs. KI-Lab of the Policy Lab Digital, Work & Society of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, Berlin, Germany: 30.09.2022

Judith Fassbender

Poster Pitch: Are AI standardisation processes inclusive enough to deliver tech that works for everyone?
European Think Tank Conference 2022. German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP). European Think Tank Conference 2022, Berlin, Germany: 20.09.2022 Further information

Hadi Asghari

AI in Society and Economy
Seminar. Digital Business University Berlin. Digital Business University Berlin, Berlin, Germany: 18.08.2022

Hadi Asghari

Seminar: Programmatische Autonomie: Künstliche Intelligenz und selbstfahrende Autos (Session: Lecture: Künstliche Intelligenz?). University of Potsdam: Prof. Dr. Jan Distelmeyer. Potsdam University, Potsdam, Germany: 03.05.2022

Theresa Züger

Approximating Accessibility of Regions from Incomplete Volunteered Data
CHI EA '22. Association of Computing Machinery. Online, New Orleans, USA: 03.05.2022 Further information

Hadi Asghari

PhD Workshop on Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning research and Democracy
PhD Workshop on Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning research and Democracy. University of Tübingen. University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany: 02.04.2022 Further information

Judith Fassbender

Particles of a whole: design patterns for transparent and auditable AI-systems
UbiComp '21: The 2021 ACM International Joint Conference on Pervasive and Ubiquitous Computing (Session: Particles of a whole: design patterns for transparent and auditable AI-systems). UbiComp. Online, New York, USA: 25.09.2021 Further information

Judith Faßbender

Automatically evaluating the conceptual complexity of German texts
KONVENS 2021 (Session: Automatically evaluating the conceptual complexity of German texts). German Society for Computational Linguistics and Language Technology, the Special Interest Group on Computational Linguistics of the German Linguistic Society and the Austrian Society for Artificial Intelligence. Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany: 09.09.2021 Further information

Freya Hewett

Amplifying Privacy: Scaling Up Transparency Research Through Delegated Access Requests
5th Workshop on Technology and Consumer Protection (ConPro ’21) (Session: Amplifying Privacy: Scaling Up Transparency Research Through Delegated Access Requests). ConPro ’21. Online, San Francisco, USA: 27.05.2021 Further information

Hadi Asghari

AI in the public interest: What does this mean and how can be build it?
Gesellschaft für Informatik: #KICamp21. Gesellschaft für Informatik e.V.. Online, Berlin, Germany: 24.02.2021 Further information

Theresa Züger, Hadi Asghari, Freya Hewett, Judith Fassbender, Jakob Stolberg-Larsen

Excellence and Trust
Excellence and Trust – Webinar on the EU White Paper on AI. Representation of the European Commission in Germany, KI Bundesverband, Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society, Online, Germany: 04.05.2020

Wolfgang Schulz

Panels

Wie als Gesellschaft die Kontrolle über KI behalten? Ansätze aus der aktuellen Forschung
KIDD @ work. KIDD - KI im Dienste der Diversität. Ludwig-Erhard-Haus, Berlin, Germany: 31.03.2023 Further information

Theresa Züger

Künstliche Intelligenz + Gemeinwohl = ?
Die dima und du! Dein Zukunftsassistent lädt ... ein!. Projektmitarbeiterin der Digitalen Manufaktur (dima) Stadt Aschaffenburg. JUKUZ - Jugendkulturzentrum Aschaffenburg, Aschaffenburg, Germany: 28.10.2022 Further information

Theresa Züger

The Future of War: Drone Surveillance, Killer Robots & Lethal AI Weapons
DNL26: The Kill Cloud: Networked Warfare, Drone & AI. Disruption Network Lab. Kunstquartier Bethanien, Berlin, Germany: 25.03.2022 Further information

Theresa Züger

Gemeinwohlorientiert = Gemeinnützig? Unternehmen und gemeinwohlorientierte KI
re:publica 21. Im Internet, Berlin, Germany: 21.05.2021 Further information

Theresa Züger

Moderation of workshops and panels

Automatisation and autonomy
Infrastructures of Autonomy. Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society, Brandenburg Center for Media Studies. Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society, Berlin, Germany: 24.11.2022 Further information

Hadi Asghari

Organisation of events

Hackathon. Entwicklung von KI-Erklärungsmodellen
From 03.02.2023 to 03.02.2023. Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society, Berlin, Germany. Co-Organised by: neuland & gestalten (National) Further information

Daniel Pothmann, Sarah Spitz, Hadi Asghari, Sami Nenno, Freya Hewett, Judith Faßbender, Theresa Züger

Infrastructures of Autonomy
From 23.11.2022 to 25.11.2022. Humboldt Institut für Internet und Gesellschaft, Berlin, Germany. Co-Organised by: Centre for Media Studies Potsdam (International) Further information

Lena Henkes, Thomas Christian Bächle, Theresa Züger

Sustainable AI II
with attending Vip: Lynn Kaack. 14.06.2022. Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society, Berlin, Germany (National)

Sami Nenno, Theresa Züger

AI and the Public Interest
13.06.2022. Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society, Berlin, Germany (International) Further information

Hadi Asghari, Sami Nenno, Freya Hewett, Judith Faßbender, Theresa Züger

AI & Society Lab (AI & Society Lab)
Study week of the ZHAW: "Der Mensch im digitalen Zeitalter". 05.05.2022. Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society, Berlin, Germany. Co-Organised by: ZHAW (International)

Sami Nenno, Judith Faßbender, Theresa Züger

Sustainable AI
with attending Vip: Friederike Rohde. 29.04.2022. Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society, Berlin, Germany (National)

Sami Nenno, Theresa Züger

Open Talk with Alex C. Engler: Algorithmic Services in the German Government
Open Talk. with attending Vip: Alex C. Engler. 01.04.2022. online, Berlin, Germany (International) Further information

Open Talk with Anna Mätzener: Automatic Decision Making Systems
Open Talk Series. with attending Vip: Anna Mätzener. 20.03.2022. online, Berlin, Germany (International) Further information

Open Talk with Julia Gundlach: Algorithms for the common good
Open Talk Series. with attending Vip: Julia Gundlach. 10.02.2022. online, Berlin, Germany (International) Further information

Research Clinic: Explainable AI
From 08.09.2021 to 12.09.2021. Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society, Berlin, Germany (National) Further information

Nominations

Deep Tech Award.

Theresa Züger

Research Clinic Europe – Platform://Democracy.

Theresa Züger

Think Tank School of the German Council on Foreign Relations.

Hadi Asghari, Theresa Züger