Theme: Artificial intelligence

Introduction and possible research topics
Artificial intelligence may contribute to solving some of the hardest problems humankind faces, but the advancement of AI technologies also raises concerns and challenges that need careful consideration.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is expanding beyond computer science and impacting various industries and aspects of society. AI and Machine Learning are transforming computer science and engineering industries, making professionals in these fields highly sought after. The future of AI is dynamic, with the potential to revolutionize numerous industries and influence society in profound ways. However, there is a growing recognition of the need to move beyond the notion that AI is the solution to all problems, emphasizing the importance of not over-relying on AI for every challenge and considering how to best harness its potential with societal sensibility in mind. AI's impact extends to human-computer interaction, enhancing efficiency, personalization, and accessibility in this domain. The functioning of AI involves the combination of vast amounts of data with intelligent algorithms that enable software to learn and adapt. As AI continues to advance, it is crucial to understand its broader implications beyond computer science and explore its evolving role in shaping various sectors and interactions within society.

An important part of AI is that there is a need to examine AI with humanistic and societal sensibility. For example, artefacts, images, and texts provide insight into cultures and memories created by humans.  Their machine/computer interpretation and rendering generate new scholarly inquiry. While generative models presented by new technologies such as ChatGPT or the production of synthetic images with DALL·E (or DALL-E) have gained popular attention, the cultural and creative industries increasingly rely on, for example, predictive models that focus on interpreting and classifying human memory and its artifacts. Interpretation in this case may be connected to authoritative accounts and classifications as well as the legacy of curatorial practices of a not-so-inclusive past. While we are used to these decisions being made by educated humans using their best judgment, machines have become increasingly influential in performing these tasks. The quality of this type of decision-making is tightly connected to the quality of the data itself and the parameters selected for classification.

Given the inherent presence of bias across times and cultures in how we understand images, texts, and their contexts, this group aims at discussing among other subjects the opportunities and challenges that arise with the introduction of machine/computer interpretations and consequent predictions to human life-worlds.

Applicants
Among other things, we aim at engaging with and suggesting possibilities for better collaborations among different stakeholders (professionals, subject experts, technical experts) with humanistic sensibility as well as diversity and equality in mind. In this sense, this interdisciplinary group gathers experts from science, technology as well as the arts, humanities, and social sciences.

Dedicated mentors for this theme:
Minsu Cho, Department of Computer Science and Technology, POSTECH
Jounghyun Kim, Graduate School of Computer & Information Technology, Korea University
Anna Foka, Department of ALM, Centre for Digital humanities, Uppsala University
Anne Håkansson, Division of software and computer systems, KTH