
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
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
With the Civic Coding Policy Paper, we have developed 16 recommendations to promote public interest AI in a sustainable way.
- AI · Science communication
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... - AI · Politics & law · Science communication · Society & culture
The Ethics of Digitalisation – From Principles to Practices
This research project aims to develop groundbreaking answers to challenges in the area of conflict between ethics and digitalisation. - Politics & law · Society & culture
The discursive and political construction of AI
This project empirically investigates the discursive and political construction of AI in contemporary societies. We have started with studies on the media discourse in...
Agnieszka Jabłonowska
Fellow: AI & Society LabFerdinand Bálint Dorendorf
Student Assistant: AI & Society LabFreya Hewett
Researcher: AI & Society LabHadi Asghari, Dr.
Researcher: AI & Society LabIrina Kühnlein
Student Assistant: AI & Society LabJudith Faßbender
Researcher: AI & Society LabSami Nenno
Researcher: AI & Society LabSarah Ciston
Associated Researcher: AI & Society LabTheresa Züger, Dr.
Research Group Lead: Public Interest AI | AI & Society LabVincent Hofmann
Researcher: AI & Society Lab
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Alexander Pirang
Former Associated Doctoral Researcher: AI & Society Lab -
Daniela Dicks
Fromer Co-Lead & spokesperson: AI & Society Lab -
Jakob Stolberg-Larsen
Former Researcher: AI & Society Lab -
Juliane Henn
Former Student assistant: AI & Society Lab -
Kai Gärtner
Former Head of IT | Former Project Lead: DECIDE | Former Researcher: AI & Society Lab -
Shlomi Hod
Former Associated Researcher: AI & Society Lab
Journal articles and conference proceedings
Ogolla, S. & Gupta, A. (2018). Inclusive Design – Methods To Ensure A High Degree Of Participation in Artificial Intelligence (AI) Systems. University of Oxford Connected Life 2018 – Conference Proceedings, 23-34. Publication details
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., Katzy-Reinshagen, A., Fassbender, J., Kuper, F., & Kühnlein, I. (2022). Civic Coding. Empirische Erkenntnisse und Empfehlungen zur Unterstützung gemeinwohlorientierter KI. Humboldt Institut für Internet und Gesellschaft. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.7229517 Publication details
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
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
Seminar: Digital CitizenshipDigital 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: 18.11.2022Judith Fassbender
Public Interest AIUNESCO 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 simplificationSeminar “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 nutzenCivic 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 informationTheresa Züger
Design Patterns – Prozessformate für eine verantwortungsvolle Umsetzung von KI-SystemenKI-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 EconomySeminar. 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: 03.05.2022Theresa Züger
Approximating Accessibility of Regions from Incomplete Volunteered DataCHI 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 DemocracyPhD 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-systemsUbiComp '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 textsKONVENS 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 Requests5th 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 TrustExcellence 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
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 WeaponsDNL26: 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 KIre:publica 21. Im Internet, Berlin, Germany: 21.05.2021 Further information
Theresa Züger
Moderation of workshops and panels
Automatisation and autonomyInfrastructures 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
Infrastructures of AutonomyFrom 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 IIwith attending Vip: Lynn Kaack. 14.06.2022. Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society, Berlin, Germany (National)
Sami Nenno, Theresa Züger
AI and the Public Interest13.06.2022. 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 AIwith 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 GovernmentOpen 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
Research Clinic Europe – Platform://Democracy.Theresa Züger
Think Tank School of the German Council on Foreign Relations.Hadi Asghari, Theresa Züger