Ethical dilemmas of Artificial Intelligence discussed at T4EU's 2nd Science Café

The ethical dilemmas of artificial intelligence assistants and companions were debated at the second edition of Transform4Europe's Science Café, held on September 29 during Trieste Next, the festival of scientific research.

William Hasselberger, Professor of Politics and Director of the Digital Ethics Lab at Universidade Católica Portuguesa, led the discussion, focusing on ‘an open question about how democracy will be affected by the massive influx of non-human, human-like artificial companions.’

‘Will this improve our ability to debate with each other, to reason together, to have democratic societies, or will it undermine those abilities? What happens to democratic debate when we are inundated with fake people?’

The debate left these major questions open for further reflection and research. Open to the public, the café brought together an eclectic mix of professors, AI experts, and students, fostering a dynamic exchange of ideas. The conversation was moderated by Francesco Miele, Researcher in General Sociology at the University of Trieste.