AI, Big Data and Democracy @ AIUK Fringe PART 2

Artificial Intelligence and Big Data are deeply embedded in our societies, culture and plays a crucial role in shaping our perceptions of democratic governance and communication. Nevertheless, they also have the potential to create an anti-democratic environment for citizens. Addressing a range of ethical and socio-technical considerations to ensure that AI is developed, deployed, and used in ways that align with human values and promote positive outcomes for society, consists of a great challenge, known as responsible AI.

AI, Big Data and Democracy @ AIUK Fringe PART 1

Artificial Intelligence and Big Data are deeply embedded in our societies, culture and plays a crucial role in shaping our perceptions of democratic governance and communication. Nevertheless, they also have the potential to create an anti-democratic environment for citizens. Addressing a range of ethical and socio-technical considerations to ensure that AI is developed, deployed, and used in ways that align with human values and promote positive outcomes for society, consists of a great challenge, known as responsible AI.

Navigating Research Ethics and Managing Sensitive Data in Complex European Projects - KT4D Webinar

This webinar aims to initiate a dialogue addressing the challenges associated with adhering to research ethics best practices, focusing particularly on the protection of user data and pseudonymization.

Interview with Anna Bjork and Atte Ojanen from Demos Helsinki

How can Knowledge Technologies improve civic participation in Democracy?  What role does Demos Helsinki play within the KT4D project?

In this video Anna and Atte describe the role of Demos Helsinki with the KT4D project, pointing out the importance of research and development in creating a more comprehensive and culturally friendly approach to emerging knowledge technologies. 

Interview with Max Stearns from Democratic Society

How can Knowledge Technologies improve civic participation in Democracy?  What role does Democratic Society play within the KT4D project?

In this Interview Max Stearns tells us about the organisation Democratic Society, and how it is leading work around democratic centred technology and innovation, pulling from other research to develop digital democracy labs.

One of the main challenges, according to Max, is to align technology to what society and people need. It is important to draw a link between what we can do and what we ought to do combining policymakers, citizens and technology developers.  

Interview with Angel Sola Lopez from Fundación Cibervoluntarios

How can Knowledge Technologies improve civic participation in Democracy?  What role does Fundación Cibervoluntarios play within the KT4D project?

In this Interview Angel Sola Lopez explains how important it is to raise awareness on how technologies such as AI and Big Data can improve people’s lives and in particular, democratic participation.

The primary challenges, according to Angelo, stem from both a lack of trust in these emerging technologies and a widespread lack of information among citizens regarding the potential avenues for democratic participation. It is crucial to cultivate a fresh concept grounded in inclusive, ethical, and open principles.

Photocall interview with Eleonora Lima at #EmpoderaLIVE 2023

Eleonora Lima, researcher specializing in Digital Humanities at Trinity College Dublin, gets interviewed at the EmpoderaLive 2023. Eleonora Lima explores digital literacy's role in achieving digital sovereignty. She stresses the importance of developing trust and knowledge across citizens, policymakers and software developers. In the project, she plays a key role in examining the cultural influences that shape people's perceptions of AI and big data, exploring both their tangible and imagined engagements with these technologies. Her research draws from her considerable expertise in the cultural history of information technologies, with a specific focus on literature and the arts, a field in which she has published extensively.

Eleonora Lima: Participatory digital democracy labs through AI and Big Data: KT4Democracy

Eleonora Lima, researcher specializing in Digital Humanities at Trinity College Dublin, presented the objectives of the KT4Democracy project at the EmpoderaLive 2023. Central to her role is the investigation of cultural influences on AI and Big Data, exploring how people perceive and interact with these technologies in both real and imagined contexts. Grounding her work in her extensive expertise in the cultural history of information technologies, particularly within literature and the arts, Eleonora outlined how the project intends to validate its methodology and findings through our four distinct use cases across European cities: Brussels, Madrid, Warsaw, and Dublin. 

Webinar: Exploring the Benefits and Challenges of AI and Big Data for a more Inclusive Civic Participation

In this first KT4D webinar, we explored how KT4D has been connecting with its stakeholders to promote technology design that prioritises human well-being, inclusivity, ethical and democratic principles.

Interview with Laura Senatore from ICTLegal

How can Knowledge Technologies improve civic participation in Democracy? What role should Law play in protecting Democratic Values? In this interview Laura Senatore discusses how her legal expertise will inform the Knowledge Technologies for Democracy Project (KT4D) projects as it considers both the opportunities and challenges arising from advanced technologies such as AI and Big Data on democratic values and democracy.

Interview with Bogna Gawrońska-Nowak, Professor at IRMIR, Poland

Bogna Gawrońska-Nowak is an Associate Professor at IRMIR, Poland. She is in involved in the EU-funded project KT4D. "We were invited to specifically take care of empirical research and especially a citizen science approach over the project implementation - Prof. Gawrońska-Nowak said. In KT4D, we want to attract people who are interested in getting engaged and contributing to making knowledge technology friendlier".

Interview with Keith Hyams from the University of Warwick

How can Knowledge Technologies improve the way in which democracy works? 
In this interview Keith Hyams, Professor of Political Theory and Ethics at the University of Warwick, discusses his work on ethics that will inform KT4D, as it considers both the opportunities and challenges arising from advanced technologies such as AI and Big Data on democratic values and democracy. 

Interview with Dr. Jennifer Edmond

Dr Jennifer Edmond is not only the KT4D Project Coordinator, she is also an Associate Professor of Digital Humanities at Trinity College Dublin. In this interview she explains the aims of the Knowledge Technologies for Democracy Project (KT4D) projects as it confronts the challenges arising from advance technologies coming into contact with democratic values.

Welcome to the Knowledge Technologies for Democracy KT4D Project

Knowledge Technologies for Democracy (KT4D) will foster civic participation in democracy by capitalising on the benefits of developments in AI & Big Data Technologies. To do this we will develop and validate tools, guidelines and a Digital Democracy Lab Demonstrators platform.