Discussed AI and sustainability with MIT President Kornbluth

Collective decision-making is messy. Bureaucracies drag their feet, information favors those with more resources, and complex problems overwhelm traditional processes. AI tools don’t replace judgment, but they can help groups make sense of vast amounts of data, test multiple scenarios, and surface trade-offs that would otherwise get lost. AI isn't a silver bullet. It’s that thoughtful use of data and simulations can make collaboration more informed, equitable, and resilient. #AI #CollectiveDecisionMaking #DecisionMaking

Here are a few takeaways from yesterday's AI & the Future of Human Capital in the Global South Knowledge Symposium. The World Bank's Human Capital Project and Development Research Group co-organized the event with The George Washington University. First, the questions we need to answer about AI in developing countries far outnumber our solutions. There's no silver bullet—figuring out how to use this technology effectively in low- and middle-income countries will take time, experimentation, and humility.   At the same time, AI use is rising rapidly everywhere including in developing countries. Everywhere AI is already having an impact on the way students are learning, how people are getting medical advice, and how they’re looking for jobs, outside the boundaries of our carefully designed interventions.   So we need to be creative in how we think about and research AI’s implications for human capital in developing countries.   That starts with crashing through disciplinary boundaries. Yesterday brought economists together with engineers, development specialists with computer scientists. These collisions are exactly what we need. [I'll share more detailed reflections on individual sessions of the Symposium in future posts.] Big thanks to our co-organizers, Zoe Szajnfarber, Erica Gralla, Anja Sautmann, and Daisy Demirag. Thanks also to all the presenters and moderators: Deon Filmer Matthew Hulse Antonia Vazquez Robert Korom Juan Ignacio Gowland Allan Ochola Ana Teresa del Toro Mijares Shafkat Rahman Farabi Kathlyn Griffin Milind Tambe Dr. Swati Gupta Daniel Björkegren Gaurav Nayyar Urša Krenk Jasmin Baier Gregory Elacqua Alex Twinomugisha Carolina Lopez Federico Manolio Hal Daumé III Shi Feng Zoe Szajnfarber Khondaker A. Mamun, PhD Omolola Haastrup

SMART Mens, Manus and Machina (M3S) Interdisciplinary Research Group (IRG) is proud to have hosted two symposiums in partnership with Singapore Management University (SMU) and the IMDA. Bringing together over 500 speakers and attendees, including government representatives, industry leaders and academics, the symposiums tackled a key topic: how is artificial intelligence (AI) reshaping the future of work, learning and society? From workforce resilience and lifelong learning to the frontiers of embodied intelligence and scalable AI systems, one thing united all discussions: the importance of collaboration. The symposiums highlighted a shared commitment to ensuring that AI innovation remains human-centric, inclusive and aligned with policy needs. As AI continues to evolve, SMART M3S remains dedicated to fostering crucial discussions that bridges science, policy and practice to shape the future of work and learning. Learn more about the key insights from the symposiums in the link below. Jinhua Zhao Alok Prakash Daniela Rus Kakali Basak (Ray Chaudhury) Archan Misra https://lnkd.in/gx5YTwmp #SMARTMIT #M3S #Symposium #AI

🚨 New Publication Alert! 🚨 Thrilled to share that our paper, “Decoloniality Impact Assessment for AI”, has just been published in AI & Society @AI and Society 🎉 Over the past decade, impact assessments (IAs) have been widely developed to ensure that AI systems are safe, ethical, and trustworthy. Yet, as our critical review shows, most existing IAs overlook a crucial dimension: the coloniality problem; who defines the problems, whose knowledge counts, and who truly benefits from AI innovation. Our paper introduces the Decoloniality Impact Assessment (DIA) as a critical, context-sensitive approach that: 🔎 Assesses AI systems in relation to colonial legacies, global power asymmetries, and epistemic injustices. 🌍 Highlights how current practices risk perpetuating inequalities by prioritising Global North frameworks and neglecting Global South perspectives. ⚖️ Moves beyond existing AI governance frames to interrogate how AI reinforces or disrupts structural inequalities. 🛠 Proposes how DIA can be integrated into existing frameworks (e.g., HUDERIA), making it a practical tool rather than “yet another framework.” Ultimately, we argue that AI governance and innovation must be reframed to focus on epistemic justice, pluriversality, and sovereignty, ensuring that technological futures are shaped by and for diverse communities. 👉 Read the full paper here: https://lnkd.in/ddRJ5qCX Bernd Carsten Stahl Ricardo Chavarriaga Responsible Ai UK Responsible Digital Futures (RDF) University of Nottingham School of Computer Science University of Nottingham Council of Europe Moritz Taylor Virginia Dignum Emma Ruttkamp-Bloem African Brain Data Network #AI #DecolonialAI #Ethics #AIandSociety #Decoloniality #ImpactAssessment #ResponsibleAI #Africa

It’s a great week for our team at the IBT-HSG as we join the Association for Consumer Research (ACR), the main conference for marketing and consumer research, in Washington DC. We’re proud to share several collaborative projects with colleagues from all over: 🔹 Using Voice Data to Measure and Predict Consumer Preferences - Max(imilian) Gaerth (Emory University - Goizueta Business School), Hauke Roggenkamp, Christian Hildebrand, & Zhenling Jiang (The Wharton School) 🔹 Cuddly, Not Creepy: Zoomorphic AI Companions Deepen Emotional Connection and Enhance User Engagement - Mohammadhesam Hajighasemi (ESSEC Business School), Amir Sepehri (ESSEC Business School), Christian Hildebrand, & Cait Lamberton (The Wharton School) 🔹 Analyzing Perceived Threats of Artificial Intelligence over Time - Anush Sridhar, Tobias Ebert, Emanuel de Bellis, & Stefano Puntoni (The Wharton School) 🔹 The Rise of AI Agents: Consumer Reactions Towards Self-Programming Agents - Melanie Clegg (University of Lausanne), Reto Hofstetter, Emanuel de Bellis, & Bernd SCHMITT (Columbia University) 🔹 The Zero-Sum Autonomy Mindset: Why Autonomy of New Technologies Can Backfire - Jonas Görgen (KEDGE Business School), Emanuel de Bellis, & Greg Nyilasy, PhD, GAICD (University of Melbourne) In addition to these papers, our faculty are also contributing to the broader conference dialogue: - Emanuel is co-chairing the special session “The Past and Future of AI,” chairing the session “AI vs. Human,” and joining the roundtable on “Consumer Reactions to AI.” - Christian and Emanuel are also serving as faculty mentors at the Sheth Foundation Doctoral Symposium. Both Emanuel and Christian will be at ACR this week--if you’re attending, they’d be happy to connect! University of St.Gallen

There’s one number in science that hasn’t moved in over 100 years. Each scientist publishes about 2 to 2.5 papers a year on average, since 1900. A study by Fanelli and Larivière (2016), which tracked 40,000 scientists from 1900 to 2013, found: - The yearly output per scientist is basically unchanged. - Teams are larger, so names appear on more papers, but personal output stays flat. - The overall rise in papers comes from having more scientists, not from each person writing more. For a century, personal productivity in research was stuck. Now, with AI research agents, this number is finally moving. By helping scientists catch up with existing research, identify novel ideas, and spot improvement areas early, AI is already unlocking real gains in individual productivity. This is such an exciting moment to be building research agents. 

Big decisions are hard, especially when a lot of people need to weigh in. Too many perspectives, too much information, conflicting priorities. It’s easy for things to stall or for some voices to get lost. AI can help gather the facts, show the trade-offs, and even let people play with different options to see the effects in real time. Suddenly, everyone can see the bigger picture, understand each other’s priorities, and find common ground. AI doesn’t replace people, it helps us make better decisions together. And when we combine insight, simulation, and collaboration, even the toughest challenges feel more manageable. #DecisionMaking #AI #Collaboration #ProblemSolving

Attention U-M researchers: the Toyota Research Institute’s (TRI) human-AI interaction RFP closes this Thursday! TRI is looking to support research projects exploring systems where humans and AI co-evolve, focusing on designing AI that not only adapts and automates, but also promotes human learning, adaptability and growth. Projects are encouraged to address key societal challenges, apply interdisciplinary methods and propose high-risk, high-reward research that can transform human-AI collaboration. Learn more and submit your application at https://myumi.ch/z9Mpd

📰 With so much being published nowadays on the present and future of AI, it is rare to come across something that truly surprises. So it is with humility that I share our latest technology foresight brief on Human-like AI systems, which we developed to support the EIC's strategic intelligence. 👁️ Our work highlights a path for AI not as a substitute for human agency, but as a collaborative partner—reasoning, explaining, perceiving emotions, integrating multisensory inputs, and working seamlessly alongside people. 🩺 From homes to factories, public spaces to healthcare, this partnership opens opportunities but also presents challenges: value alignment, transparency, accountability, fairness, and the risk of over-reliance on automation. By embedding human-centric values and ethical guardrails, we can still shape AI that not only feels more human-like, but amplifies what we value most—our ability to create, innovate, connect, and care. 🎯 The report highlights 12 topics to watch closely, from neurosymbolic and brain-inspired AI to human–AI collective cognition, while also underlining the importance of tackling AI’s growing energy demand. 🧠 Co-authored with my colleagues Orsi Nagy, Gwendolyn Bailey, Antonia Mochan, Alexandre Pólvora, and with the invaluable contribution of the EIC Programme Manager on AI, Hedi Karray. A special thanks to all the experts who joined us in this exercise, and to our colleagues across the JRC who supported our work. 👉 https://lnkd.in/dm7E6NuC European Commission EU Science, Research and Innovation EIC - European Innovation Council #EUPolicyLab

First AI Congress in Styria ki-kongress.at It was truly inspiring to attend the first AI Congress in Styria, an event that not only showcased the region's burgeoning role in the future of technology but also reinforced the critical directions we must take. Seeing local pioneers like Mimirio present AI-driven knowledge systems that stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the best in Europe was a powerful reminder of the innovation thriving right here. This momentum is further validated by the academic sector, with institutions like the University of Graz proactively reshaping curricula to foster the next generation of AI talent, a move that signals a fundamental shift in our educational landscape. For me, however, the most profound takeaway was the collective emphasis on placing humanity at the core of this transformation; the dialogue consistently returned to the imperative of building AI projects on a strong ethical foundation, ensuring that our progress is not just technologically advanced but also fundamentally human-centric. The currents of change are moving swiftly, and it is clearer than ever that the strategic conversations shaping our future are happening now, among those who are deeply engaged.#AI #Styria #FutureOfWork #EthicalAI #Innovation