Europe has been portrayed as the second runner up in the race of Artificial Intelligence. Sandwiched between China and the US, Europe lags behind technically but positions itself to lead ethically. Broadly, we will explore how AI trends may influence European politics, and how the political institutions seek to influence AI development. Our discussion will be grounded in contemporary cases on computational propaganda (e.g., Cambridge Analytica scandal), privacy rights (e.g., GDPR), militarized technology (e.g., drone weapon), civic engagement (e.g., donating data for public good) and data-driven policy-making (e.g., robot politician). We will deliberate on difficult questions about how Europe can position itself in the AI race? Is trustworthy and accountable AI possible? Will small-data AI resolve political concerns about privacy? Can we prevent social media from polarizing our views?
- Instructor: Yee Wong