Last year AIM4DEM started the trajectory as a Dutch Research Council-funded Ethical, Legal, and Societal Aspects (ELSA) Lab. The overarching goal: to develop and test value-driven, human-centered AI applications and ethical and legal frameworks for responsible use of AI in the media. We do so in close collaboration with our project partners, which include journalists, media professionals, designers, citizens, researchers, and public and societal partners.
Much to look back on
Over the past year, the lab has been actively involved in a range of research initiatives, outreach events, and conferences, underlining our commitment to exploring the intersection of artificial intelligence, media, and democracy. From delving into provocotyping AI tools to actively participating in conferences (about AI and Democracy, the Future of Journalism, and more), the researchers have been at the forefront of discussions surrounding the impact of AI on our society. They've contributed to the regulatory discussion on generative AI by co-organizing a workshop with AlgorithmWatch and providing recommendations for the AI Act. Earlier this year, the lab committed to demystifying generative AI by organizing a discussion series called ‘The Impact We Generate’, covering legal aspects, disinformation, and news media. Together with the Institute for Advance Study, AIM4DEM's host on Tuesdays, they organized a series of meetings called ‘Meet New Methods’, fostering discussions on methodologies that contextualise the impact of new algorithmic technologies.
Tapping into our community with annual meetings
As part of the ambition to proactively gather input from project partners, the lab aims to hold annual community meetings to present ongoing research, hear from our partners about pressing matters in their organisations, and, essentially, discuss the research agenda. On Tuesday, November 7th, the lab held the first of these annual meetings at the Institute for Advanced Study.
A full report of the meeting can be found here, including a presentation by CWI's Simone Ooms (DIS group), reporting her human-centered work aiming to bridge the spheres of academia and industry by making technological research from CWI more accessible in comprehensible portfolios that can then be used for focus group workshops with the lab partners.
