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How is Artificial Intelligence Changing Science?
Research in the Era of Learning Algorithms
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News
Latest publication
Andreas Sudmann / Anna Echterhölter / Markus Ramsauer / Fabian Retkowski / Jens Schröter / Alexander Waibel (Eds.)
Beyond Quantity
Research with Subsymbolic AI
How do artificial neural networks and other forms of artificial intelligence interfere with methods and practices in the sciences? Which interdisciplinary epistemological challenges arise when we think about the use of AI beyond its dependency on big data? Not only the natural sciences, but also the social sciences and the humanities seem to be increasingly affected by current approaches of subsymbolic AI, which masters problems of quality (fuzziness, uncertainty) in a hitherto unknown way. But what are the conditions, implications, and effects of these (potential) epistemic transformations and how must research on AI be configured to address them adequately?
Recent publication
Anna Tuschling / Andreas Sudmann / Bernhard J. Dotzler (Eds.), with contributions from members of the HiAICS-Research Group.
ChatGPT und andere „Quatschmaschinen“
Gespräche mit Künstlicher Intelligenz
In an experimental format, the editors present initial commented conversations with AI language models. They provide insights into dialogic scenes that capture an ongoing transformation of technology and peculiarities of machine learning. The collection aims, through witty, eerie, and more or less intelligent dialogues between humans and machines, to document a media-historical transition into a new era of ubiquitous AI.
Discussion about social robots
Duke/NC, November 13, 2023
As part of his field research in North Carolina, Andreas Sudmann spoke today with Pardis Emami-Naeini (Department of Computer Science, Duke University) about the role of social robots and asked her specifically about their scientific applications.
AI in neurological research
Pembroke, November, 2023
How can AI methods, especially machine learning methods, support neurological research? As part of his field research in North Carolina, Andreas Sudmann visited Ben Bahr in his lab at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke last week to discuss these and other questions.
AI in climate studies
NC, November, 2023
As part of his media ethnographic field research in North Carolina, Andreas Sudmann is currently examining the work of Kenneth Kunkel and his colleagues at the North Carolina Institute for Climate Studies. An important focus is the research into extreme weather events.
AI in philosophy
Chapel Hill, November 4, 2023
How is AI changing science? Today Andreas Sudmann had a very interesting conversation with Thomas Hofweber about AI in philosophy (among other things) at the UNC-Chapel Hill.
Click here to check out his website!
More discussions about AI in the sciences
Raleigh, November, 2023
Andreas Sudmann had a meeting with Andrew Johnston in Raleigh, NC, to discuss the role of AI in film and media studies.
Here ist Andrew Johnstons website
AI and computer science
Fayetteville, November 1, 2023
As part of his field research in North Carolina, Andreas Sudmann interviewed Sambit Bhattacharya from Fayetteville State University on November 1st and discussed, among other things, the current role of computer science in relation to AI applications in the sciences.
AI in education
Raleigh, October, 2023
In October, Andreas Sudmann visited Collin Lynch at the Department for Computer Science in Raleigh, North Carolina, to discuss the challenges and problems of applied computer science, but also to shed light on interesting perspectives regarding the use of AI in education.
Here is his website, check it out!
Discussion with leading AI experts
NYU, October 14, 2023
As part of his research stay in the USA, Andreas Sudmann was talking to leading AI experts and scientists from various disciplines at NYU this week about how machine learning is changing research practices and methods.
Discussion partners included:
Grace Lindsay, Assistant Professor of Psychology and Data Science (NYU),
Ernest Davies, Dept. of Computer Science,
Arthur Jacot, Assistant Professor, Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences,
Yao Wang, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Biomedical Engineering, Tandon School of Engineering,
Mark E. Tuckerman, Professor of Chemistry, Physics, and Mathematics, Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences,
& Vasant Dhar, Professor of Technology, Operations, and Statistics
Recent Events
Interview
Bildung, Falter Verlag, October 4, 2023
Anna Echterhölter gave an interview to „Bildung” the education magazine published by Falter Verlag. She gave an insight into the first results of the research project and summarised the opportunities and problems of using AI in different disciplines.
The full interview, entitled “Zukunft der Wissenschaft. Skepsis in den Disziplinen“ can be found in the latest issue of “Bildung. Das Magazin für Studium, Weiterbildung und Karriere” from 4 October as a supplement to the 40/23 Falter issue.
AI Ethnography
Leeds, September, 2023
Science in action: In September, Andreas Sudmann completed the first part of his media ethnographic field research at the School of Computing in Leeds and observed the work of computer scientist Evangelos Pournaras and his team. Next year, Sudmann will return to Leeds to observe the progress of the projects.
Conference participation
Ingolstadt, September 13-15, 2023
Anna Echterhölter and Markus Ramsauer participated in the annual meeting of the Gesellschaft für Geschichte der Wissenschaften, der Medizin und der Technik (GWTM) with the theme „Mensch-Maschine-Mobilität in der Geschichte von Medizin, Wissenschaft und Technik“.
They held the panel „Informationsmaschinen. Zur Vorgeschichte großer Analysen“ with Sascha Freyberg (MPIWG Berlin) and Rudolf Seising (PI of the Project IGGI: Ingenieur-Geist und Geistes-Ingenieure: Eine Geschichte der Künstlichen Intelligenz in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland).
Roundtable participation
Online, September 9, 2023
Große Sprachmodelle und öffentliche Verwaltung: Potentiale, Infrastruktur und Aufsicht (Large language models and public administration: potentials, infrastructure and supervision)
Andreas Sudmann was invited to the online roundtable as an expert, moderated and organized by Christian Djeffal (TU München) and Harald Felling (]init[ AG) and supported by Nationales E-Government Kompetenz Zentrum e.V.
In the context of the digital transformation of public administration, large language models such as GPT-4 offer numerous opportunities to improve efficiency and service quality.
As part of the National E-Government Competence Center (NEGZ), the round table will discuss the complex role of these models in administration and address questions for agenda setting in this area. Various problems will be discussed, such as areas of application for public administration, ways to contribute to the infrastructure of large language models, and regulatory measures.
Interview
TV Kanal Vis & nota.mk, August, 2023
Andreas Sudmann gave an interview to a Macedonian broadcaster as part of a journalistic project on fake news, AI and social media with the aim of making people aware of misinformation (supported by the British Embassy).
The contributions were broadcast several times on the Macedonian broadcaster TV Kanal Vis and nota.mk in August.
Workshop collaboration
ZOOM, May 15, 2023
Epistemological potentials: AI, robots and sensors
Workshop of the Working Group Data and Networks of the German Media Studies Association (in German)
Update: Due to strike-related limited public transport on May 15, the workshop was held online via Zoom.
„Edge AI“ is the name of a technical approach that is currently trending across domains: Implementing AI, more precisely: data-driven and adaptive systems, in a decentralised manner, for example in robots and sensors, independent of a continuous connection to a cloud.
Indeed, it cannot be ignored that the epistemic context of robots, sensors and AI is becoming increasingly important for thinking about the socio-technical conditions of digital cultures in the 21st century. Accordingly, it represents an extraordinary challenge for media studies of science and technology – not only for a history of the present as a media-historical and media-theoretical project, but for transdisciplinary efforts to reflect on its methodological and empirical complexity in general.
The workshop is a cooperation of the HiAICS research group, the Institute of Media Studies at the Ruhr University Bochum, and the Collaborative Research Centre „Virtual Living Environments“ (SFB 1567).
More information on the event and schedule
Interview
Deutschlandfunk Kultur, May 4, 2023
As part of a radio feature on the uses of artificial intelligence in the sciences, Andreas Sudmann gave an interview to German public broadcaster Deutschlandfunk Kultur.
The full feature under the title „Wissenschaft – KI hilft Forschenden, Theorien zu entwickeln“ („Science – AI helps scientists to develop theories“) can be found online.
Listen to the radio feature on Deutschlandfunk Kultur’s website
Online workshop
ZOOM, April 24, 2023
Second online workshop of the ai\research\explorations workshop series on the topic of „Sequence Models and the Scientific Field“.
Download the full schedule here
Lecture
Bochum, February 15, 2023
Andreas Sudmann presented the HiAICS research project with a special focus on the media studies working group during a colloquium at the Center for Advanced Internet Studies (CAIS) in Bochum.
Presentation
Paris, February 8, 2023
Andreas Sudmann presented the research project at LOCEAN (Sorbonne U, Paris) – with a special focus on the project’s AI-based tool for media summarization, and how a media-ethnographic approach can contribute to examine the transformations of the sciences through AI.
The Laboratoire d’Océanographie et du Climat: Expérimentations et Approches Numériques (LOCEAN) is a joint research unit under the auspices of four supervisory bodies: Sorbonne University as main supervisory and hosting institution, the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), the Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD) and the Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle (MNHN).
Lecture
Berlin, January 24, 2023
Andreas Sudmann gave a lecture for Oracle employees in Berlin on the research project’s key questions as part of the company’s 30th „Inspirational Day“.
Workshop participation
Kharagpur, January 18, 2023
Jens Schröter held a lecture on „Artificial Intelligence and the Media Culture of Capitalism“ during the online workshop „Theorizing Artificial Intelligence: from Digital Automatism to Planetary Autonomy“ by the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur.
Online workshop
ZOOM, December 19, 2022
First online workshop of the ai\research\explorations workshop series on the topic of „AI & the digital transformation“.
Download the full schedule here
Conference participation
Medellín, November 25, 2022
Jens Schröter held a keynote at the 2do Simposio Internacional en Historia y Teoría de los Medios: Inmersión – Artificialidad – Remoto at the Universidad de Antioquia in Medellín, Colombia.
He presented this research project in the context of his keynote „Künstliche Intelligenz als Medium der Wissenschaft. Ein Forschungsprojekt.“.
More Information on the conference: Universidad de Antioquia
Opening Conference
Paris, October 21-23, 2022
Opening conference of the project „How is Artificial Intelligence Changing Science?“ in cooperation with Sorbonne Center for Artificial Intelligence (SCAI) at Sorbonne University, Paris.
More information on the conference, programme and speakers
Conference participation
Hannover, October 12-14, 2022
The research group members participated in the AI and the Future of Societies conference, held by the Volkswagen Foundation in Hannover. The conference was linked to the funding initiative „Artificial Intelligence and the Society of the Future“ through which „How is Artificial Intelligence Changing Science?“ is being funded.
Lecture
Braunschweig, October 9, 2022
Jens Schröter held a lecture on „ AI, Automation, Creativity, Cognitive Labor“ during the conference „Artificial Intelligence – Intelligent Art? Human-Machine Interaction and Creative Practice“ at the TU Braunschweig.
Symposium participation
Seoul, September 29-30, 2022
Alex Waibel held the keynotes „Intelligent Systems and a Language Transparent World“ and „How to Create Successful Technology Disruption“ at the symposium Artificial Intelligence and the Digital Age Implications for the Future of Society by the Korean Academy of Science and Technology (KAST) and Leopoldina.
Find more Information on the symposium on the Leopoldina website.
Conference participation
Orlando, September , 2022
Alex Waibel held the keynote „Removing the Language Divide“ at The 15th Conference of the Association for Machine Translation in the Americas (AMTA).
Find more Information on the conference on the AMTA website.
Project update
August 1, 2022
Following up on the successful planning period, the research group has officially commenced its work on the project „How is Artificial Intelligence Changing Science?“.
Workshop participation
Zoom, February 21, 2022
Anna Echterhölter participated in the workshop Towards Global Histories of Surveying Cultures: Administrative Knowledge Production and Statistics 17th – 21st Century leading to a successful application for a DFG-network the history of data collections in colonial contexts.
Main initiators of the DFG-scientific network: Martin Herrnstadt (Konstanz), Amadou Dramé (Université Cheikh Anta Diop), Léa Renard (Centre Marc Bloch).
Project update
December 2021
The research group „How is Artificial Intelligence Changing Science?“ can continue its successful work. The project has just been funded by the VW Foundation with 1.4 million EUR.
More Information: Volkswagen Foundation | University of Bonn
Feedback Workshop
August 6-8, 2021
Discussing Methods and Media of AI Meta-research with two external experts:
S. Krämer (Leuphana U) and T. Matzner (U of Paderborn)
Focus Workshop
June 7, 2021
Explorations. Critical Perspectives on AI as a Method for the Production of New Knowledge
International Workshop
April 22-23, 2021
RESEARCH ON RESEARCH.
Methodological Approaches and Empirical Challenges in the Digital Age. Ethnography Meets Artificial Intelligence
Kick-off Workshop
June 12, 2020
The first internal workshop of the research group „How is AI Changing Science“. The aim is to discuss first concepts of how to critically examine AI as a method in a trans- or interdisciplinary way. Under corona conditions this workshop will unfortunately only take place as a video conference via zoom. We hope for better times.
