Within the context of recent technological advances, the notion of Artificial Intelligence has become a wide-spread vocabulary. AI’s implications and applications potentially challenge established practices in how humans engage with and within their social worlds. Simultaneously, AI will offer, or already has offered, new sets of cognitive abilities that are yet to be determined and understood.

The International Conference “AI:Rethinking the World” brought together cutting-edge experts to extensively discuss the unpredictable, unknowable and interruptive nature of AI as well as specific workings of the existing Machine Learning models, their strategic potentials, ramifications and methods of use. The event was organised by PERICULUM research hub under the aegis of the Department of Security Studies at the Faculty of Social Sciences, Charles University, and was held in Karolinum, the seat of Charles University at the centre of Prague, on 1 March 2019.

The opening remarks were given by Jan Konvalinka (Vice-Rector for Research, Charles University), Nik Hynek (PERICULUM Lead Researcher, Charles University), Tomáš Karásek (PERICULUM Senior Member and Head of Department of Security Studies, Charles University) and David Chandler (University of Westminster; PERICULUM Advisory Board Member and Visiting Senior Researcher at Faculty of Social Sciences, Charles University).

The keynote speech by Karamjit S. Gill (Professor Emeritus, University of Brighton) followed. Afterwards, the conference consisted of two sections:

• Panel “AI and Society” cultivated the inter-disciplinary discussion of the complexity and variety of AI societal implications ranging from security and strategic concerns to more general philosophical issues. Stephen J. Cowley (University of Southern Denmark; Centre for Human Interactivity), Kanta Dihal (University of Cambridge; Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence), Lindsey R. Sheppard (Center for Strategic and International Studies), Vít Střítecký (Charles University) and Petr Špelda (Charles University) facilitated the discussion with their presentations.
• Conversations on “AI and Anthropocene” were organised in two interactive sessions and focused on the application of AI as a technology of sensing through the analysis of how AI can be used to engage in a world increasingly conceived to be complex, unpredictable, and unknowable. The presentations by David Chandler (University of Westminster), Mareile Kaufmann (University of Oslo; Peace Research Institute Oslo), Elke Schwarz (Queen Mary University of London) and Rune Saugmann (University of Tampere; University of Helsinki) generated the discussion.

Further information on the speakers and their conference presentations (if you use or refer to them, please credit them accordingly) can be found HERE.