{"id":112734,"date":"2026-01-21T11:33:51","date_gmt":"2026-01-21T10:33:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hiig.de\/?page_id=112734"},"modified":"2026-01-23T15:43:44","modified_gmt":"2026-01-23T14:43:44","slug":"ai-and-society-lab","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.hiig.de\/en\/ai-and-society-lab\/","title":{"rendered":"AI & Society Lab"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\t\t\t\t\"\"\n\n\t

The AI & Society Lab is an interdisciplinary interface and experimental space within the Societal Values, Transformation and Artificial Intelligence<\/em>\u00a0research focus. It brings together academic insights on artificial intelligence (AI) and puts them into practice, developing new formats that address social, political and cultural issues. Our work centres on the question of how AI systems can be designed, deployed and regulated in ways that align with societal values, democratic principles and human rights standards. The Lab understands AI not as a purely technical innovation, but as a socio-technical phenomenon: technologies are embedded in social contexts, designed by humans, and continuously interact with human action. AI systems therefore do not emerge independently of society; rather, they are shaped by values, norms and political frameworks, and in turn reflect them. Based on this understanding, the AI & Society Lab positions itself as a thought leader and driver of inclusive, human rights-compliant and sustainable AI development. It actively promotes dialogue between science and society. Workshops with various interest groups, public events and media formats are used to discuss, test and further develop scientific findings.<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\tContact\t<\/h3>\n

\n\t\t\tResearch Focus\t<\/h3>\n \t\n\t\"\"<\/a>\n\t

\n\t\tSocietal Values, Transformation and Artificial Intelligence<\/a>\n\t<\/h2>\n\t\t

Our research critically analyses socio-technical transformation processes. It centres on the question of how digital technologies can be more closely aligned with societal goals – particularly with regard to sustainability, the public interest and democratic values.<\/p>\n\t\t

Explainability of AI<\/h2>

Understanding automated decisions<\/h3>\n

AI systems often lack transparency. Different approaches to explainability demonstrate how such systems function and the assumptions on which they are based. This enables us to critically examine AI and make informed decisions in politics, public administration and society.<\/p>\n\t\t

AI, Sustainability and the Public Interest<\/h2>

Benefits for society<\/h3>\n

The use of Artificial Intelligence raises questions about its long-term social, ecological and institutional impacts. Public interest-oriented AI means that the development and deployment of AI systems are not primarily driven by profit maximisation or private interests, but by benefits for society as a whole.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\"KI-Kompass-U\u0308bersicht\"\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n

AI-Compass<\/a><\/h3>

This card game offers a realistic insight into the use of active AI systems in society. Developed using a transdisciplinary approach with citizens and experts, it provides an accessible introduction to artificial intelligence and its societal implications.<\/p>\n

The AI Compass is an outcome of the research project Artificial intelligence, explained in human terms<\/a>.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPlay AI-Compass\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\"Experimente\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n

Experiment: Gesichtserkennung<\/a><\/h3>

This open-source application uses a playful approach to demonstrate how facial recognition software works. It aims to make basic AI knowledge understandable and accessible, while highlighting the capabilities and limitations of such systems.<\/p>\n

The experiment was developed as part of the research project Artificial intelligence, explained in human terms<\/a>.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tTry out experiment\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n

\n\t\t\tSelected Activities \t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t2024\n\t\t\t 23 September

Workshop “Public Interest AI<\/a>“<\/p>\t\t\n\t\t\t 10 April

Roundtable “Human in the Loop: Kreditvergabe im Fokus<\/a>“<\/p>\t\t\n\t\t\t\t2023\n\t\t\t 13 October

Workshop “AI Systems for the Public Interest<\/a>“<\/p>\t\t\n\t\t\t 05 October

Workshop “Shifting AI Controversies<\/a>“<\/p>\t\t\n\t\t\t 26 September

Workshop “AI Systems for the Public Interest<\/a>“<\/p>\t\t\n\t\t\t 03 February

Hackathon “Developing explanatory models for AI<\/a>“<\/p>\t\t\n\t\t\t\t2022\n\t\t\t 12 June

Workshop “AI and the Public Interest”<\/a><\/p>\t\t\n\t\t\t 23-25 November

Conference “Infratructures of Autonomy<\/a>“<\/p>\t\t\n\t\t\t 08 October

Symposium “Civic Coding – using AI for the public interest<\/a>” and presentation of the results in the research paper<\/a><\/p>\t\t\n\t\t\t\t2021\n\t\t\t 08-12 September

Research Clinic “Explainable AI<\/a>“<\/p>\t\t\n\t\t\t 01 September

EDIT-A-THON “Intersectional AI Toolkit<\/a>“<\/p>\t\t\n\t\t\t\t2020\n\t\t\t 13 October

Roundtables “AI and Women*<\/a>“<\/p>\t\t\n\t\t\t 21 September

Roundtable “AI & Sustainability<\/a>“<\/p>\t\t\n\t\t\t 10 September

Roundtable “Inclusive AI<\/a>“<\/p>\t\t\n\t\t\t 24-26 August

Pop-Up Lab “Inclusive AI? The challenges of automated tools in HR<\/a>“<\/p>\t\t\n\t\t\t 19 August

Roundtable “AI and IoT<\/a>“<\/p>\t\t\n\t\t

Public Interest AI Interface and Network<\/a><\/h2>

What constitutes public interest-oriented AI is both complex and socially relevant. Researchers and a network of diverse societal actors<\/a> engage in a shared dialogue to clarify key concepts and distinctions. This interface presents the principles developed through this process, inviting further discussion and knowledge exchange.<\/p>\n

BACKROUND<\/h3>\n

The interface, the project map shown below, and the two AI prototypes are key results of the the Public Interest AI<\/a> research project.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tExplore interface\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\"Titelbild\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\"Titelbild\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n

Public Interest AI Project Map<\/a><\/h3>

This interactive map provides an overview of AI initiatives worldwide that are oriented towards the public interest. It illustrates how these projects function, how they present their work, and how they perceive themselves, while making information freely accessible to the public.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tExplore projects\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\"Titelbild\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n

Simba Text Assistant<\/a><\/h3>

This AI prototype comprises two applications designed to help people understand German-language online texts. One application is a web app that selectively simplifies users’ own texts, while the other is a browser extension that automatically summarises online content.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSimplify texts\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\"Titelbild\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n

Claimspotting<\/a><\/h3>

This AI prototype is a monitoring application designed to support fact-checkers in reviewing content on Telegram. The words “claim” and “spotting” refer to the identification of statements that may contain potential misinformation.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSpot claims\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t

Feels Fair?<\/a><\/h2>

These zines for teachers, students and professionals working with and on AI explore key aspects of fairness and artificial intelligence step by step. Across four chapters, we follow Techie, a data scientist, on their journey towards building fairer systems. The zines explain how AI models are developed and trained and examine which distortions, known as biases, can influence AI-driven decisions.<\/p>\n

BACKGROUND<\/h3>\n

The zines are outcomes of the research project Public Interest AI<\/a>.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tStart folding\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\"Zines\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t

Sustainable support of public interest AI<\/a><\/h2>

We have developed 16 recommendations aimed at fostering sustainable support for AI in the public interest. This work was commissioned by the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV) as part of the Civic Coding initiative, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (BMAS) and the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth (BMFSFJ).<\/p>\n

BACKGROUND<\/h3>\n

The policy paper is based on empirical findings from the study \u201eCivic Coding – Grundlagen und empirische Einblicke zur Unterst\u00fctzung gemeinwohlorientierter KI<\/a>“.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tread Policy Paper\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\"Titelbild\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t

Diversity as a Future Factor<\/a><\/h2>

This position paper by the AI and Women*<\/a> roundtable presents ideas and demands for more diverse AI development, with a particular focus on increasing the participation of women* in AI design and development processes. It is based on contributions and discussions involving 20 representatives from academia, industry, politics and civil society.<\/p>\n

BACKGROUND<\/h3>\n

The roundtable took place on 13 October 2020 and was hosted by the Alexander von Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society, together with the Representation of the European Commission in Germany.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tRead position paper\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\"Titelbild\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n