Invited Talks

Virginia Dignum

Professor Responsible Artificial Intelligence (UMEA)
The AI paradoxes

This talk discussed the often contradictory nature of AI, exploring how its advancements highlight the irreplaceable qualities of human intelligence and the importance of governance. We'll use key paradoxes, such as the Agreement Paradox, which questions why the more we discuss AI, the less we seem to agree on what it is. We'll also examine the Intelligence Paradox, revealing how AI's capabilities underscore what makes human intelligence unique. Furthermore, we'll tackle the Justice Paradox, addressing the challenge of achieving true fairness with AI, and the Regulation Paradox, which focuses on balancing innovation and oversight in the AI era. All in all, an exploration of how paradoxes can help us uncover how AI shapes our world and how we can ensure it serves humanity ethically and equitably.

Diletta Huyskes

UniversitĂ  degli Studi di Milano
Technology of revolution. Progress and social battles from the microwave to artificial intelligence

Sara is a woman, a mother. She is unemployed, single and migrant. Hers is a layered identity, unique and unrepeatable. Yet, these social characteristics will make her a suspect for the rest of her life. Because for a mathematical model - and for the government of her country - Sara is just a set of indicators that, when added together, generate a high risk score, a statistical prediction that turns her into a potential criminal. But her only fault is that she is herself, and shares a similar profile to others who have existed and been accused before her. This and many other stories show us that a single number processed by an algorithm can change the fate of entire social groups, risking a return to ancient injustices, now amplified by the way we are using these tools. By tracing the history of technology, we can also trace the history of social exclusion: every invention, from the bicycle to the microwave oven to artificial intelligence, is the result of precise choices, values and human compromises that cause strong impacts on society. Thanks to the rediscovery of many feminist contributions made between the 1970s and 2000s, Technology of revolution prompts us to reflect on how to intervene to ensure that technological revolutions do not lead to social involutions.