The artificial intelligence (AI) market is seeing explosive growth. This is cause for both excitement and concern. The dilemmas are piling up – for what is the significance of AI technologies for the individual and society? In a groundbreaking project supported by the Grundfos Foundation, a research group will investigate the tension between technology, ethics, regulation and value creation in the new world of AI.

Artificial intelligence (AI) has become a major part of the societal debate, and the development of AI technologies has brought with it a number of new opportunities and dilemmas. Researchers at Aalborg University (AAU) will examine this across disciplines in a new, large-scale, four-year research project supported by the Grundfos Foundation with DKK 24 million.

“There is plenty of value-creating potential in AI, but we also risk harming our democratic conversation, human rights and privacy when we use it. As business owners, we therefore feel called to help develop responsible practices around the use of the technologies. So we are delighted to be able to support this project.“
Kim Nøhr Skibsted, Executive Director, Grundfos Foundation

Along with Thomas Ploug, Professor in Data and AI Ethics and Jeppe Agger Nielsen, Professor in Organisation and Management at the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, AAU, Thomas B. Moeslund will be part of the joint project management to ensure the interdisciplinary aspect of the research project.

Tre mænd på række. Thomas B. Moeslund er tilknyttet Institut for Arkitektur og Medieteknologi, Thomas Ploug er tilknyttet Institut for Kommunikation og Psykologi og Jeppe Agger er tilknyttet Institut for Politik og Samfund • Projektet ledes af AAU og har partnere fra KU, AU, University of Barcelona, University of Manchester og Georgia State University.

The project is led by AAU researchers Jeppe Agger, Thomas B. Moeslund, and Thomas Ploug. Photo: Anne-Sophia Lundgaard Jensen, AAU Kommunikation

The project is driven by a strong desire to contribute to the major work of developing legislation and policies in the AI area. The project therefore also emphasizes exchange with and communication to a wide range of stakeholders from politicians to the business community. To ensure high quality communication, the project is partnering with consulting firm Mandag Morgen.

The subject matter of the research project is large and complex, which requires an interdisciplinary project team representing diverse disciplines. Collaboration across disciplines is not trivial, and therefore the project will also devote particular attention to this with a separate research effort that, in conjunction with two other AI projects, ‘Algorithms, Data and Democracy’ and ‘Pioneer Center for AI’, examines how collaboration in larger AI projects takes place and can be improved.

Facts

  • The project stems from the interdisciplinary AAU centre ‘AI for the People’ – but is an independent project.
  • The project runs for four years and is supported by the Grundfos Foundation (Poul Due Jensen Foundation) with DKK 24 million.
  • Thomas B. Moeslund is affiliated with the Department of Architecture, Design and Media Technology; Thomas Ploug with the Department of Communication and Psychology; and Jeppe Agger Nielsen with the Department of Politics and Society at Aalborg University.
  • The project is led by AAU. Project partners are from the University of Copenhagen, Aarhus University, University of Barcelona, University of Manchester and Georgia State University.