New Initiative for Reflecting on Intelligent Systems

18. Februar 2021 / Ramin Hedeshy

University of Stuttgart starts novel  „Interchange forum for Reflecting on Intelligent Systems“. Prof. Dr. Steffen Staab becomes co-speaker.

University of Stuttgart starts novel  „Interchange forum for Reflecting on Intelligent Systems“. Prof. Dr. Steffen Staab becomes co-speaker. Zeit Campus reports about the initiative.

The Stuttgart Research Focus „Interchange forum for Reflecting on Intelligent Systems“ (SRF IRIS) is a new university-wide initiative to further the interdisciplinary thinking about opportunities and implications of intelligent systems including all types of artificial intelligence. Jun.-Prof. Dr. Maria Wirzberger who is trained as psychologist and educator is the speaker and aided by co-speaker Prof. Dr. Steffen Staab, a computer scientist. The initiative includes a range of faculty from sociology to history and engineering.

The initiative has three main pillars:

1. Interdisciplinary research: Artificial Intelligence influences the well-being of individuals as well as the functioning of whole societies. Research has to considers at micro-, meso- and macro-levels how intelligent algorithms might disdvantage people, lead to ubiquitous surveillance or afflict society with intelligent malicious bots.

2. Transdisciplinary teaching: Beyond learning how to build intelligent systems, students should also be familiar with ramifications of such technologies. Which legal, ethical, moral considerations should apply? What can we learn from history? How can we approach such problems and let society contribute to the solution?

3. Public engagement: Building intelligent systems for a sustainable future is the core theme of University of Stuttgart. Thus, there is an inherent need to integrate the broad public into these developments, educate about AI systems and address concerns of the public.

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