January 2021 - Air-L - lists.aoir.org

Communities & Technologies (C&T) 2021
by Aal, Konstantin 15 Jan '21

15 Jan '21

Dear colleagues, At a time like this, when we seem to be particularly experiencing the ravages of disinformation, covid19, social injustice, and income inequality, I know many CSCW researchers and practitioners at the intersection of communities and technologies are engaged with "wicked problems" in their work. If so, we want to hear from you at Communities & Technologies 2021. -- Konstantin Aal Research assistant and PhD student pronouns: he/him/his Information Systems and New Media SFB 1187 "Medien der Kooperation" University of Siegen Kohlbettstr. 15, 57072 Siegen Raum. US-E-102 Tel. +49 (0)271 / 740 3383 Mob. +49 (0)176 / 30 780 007 http://www.uni-siegen.de/fb5/wirtschaftsinformatik/index.html.en?lang=en Von: Kentaro Toyama <toyama(a)umich.edu> Datum: Dienstag, 5. Januar 2021 um 16:41 An: "ct2021(a)googlegroups.com" <ct2021(a)googlegroups.com> Cc: Shelly Farnham <shelly(a)thirdplacetechnologies.com>, Sarah Fox <sarahfox(a)cmu.edu> Betreff: CFP: Communities & Technologies (C&T) 2021 10th International Conference on Communities & Technologies (C&T) Call for Participation The 10th International Conference on Communities & Technologies<https://2021.comtech.community/> (C&T 2021<https://2021.comtech.community/>), to be held at the University of Washington in Seattle from June 21-25, 2021, cordially invites you to submit<https://2021.comtech.community/submissions/> research papers, case studies, workshop proposals, posters, demos, and doctoral research plans for potential presentation or facilitation at the conference! (We are optimistically planning for an in-person conference, but if pandemic conditions persist, alternative plans will be made.) The biennial International Conference on Communities & Technologies (C&T) is the premier international forum for stimulating debate and disseminating research on the complex connections between communities – in their multiple forms – and information and communication technologies. C&T is brought to you by EUSSET, the European Society for Socially Embedded Systems, who also brings you ECSCW. We welcome researchers, designers, educators, industry, practitioners, and students from the many disciplines and perspectives bearing on the interaction between community and technology. The theme of C&T 2021 is “Wicked Problems in the Age of Tech<https://2021.comtech.community/2020/06/13/2021-theme/>.” Papers and proposals are accepted from a variety of relevant perspectives including technology, philosophy, social sciences, policy, design, business, art, the humanities, and so on. Examples of relevant topics include, but are not limited to, the following: * * Wicked problem domains such * as the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, racism, misogyny, policy brutality, the opioid crisis, immigration, human-trafficking, homelessness, authoritarianism, disinformation, poverty, public health, self-governance, and terrorism. * * * Diverse communities and * their relationships to technology; urban and rural, migrants, refugees, indigenous peoples, LGBTQ, activists and social movements, low-income communities, alt-right and hate groups; the developing world and non-Western societies; professional communities, * communities of practice, research communities; * * * Bottom-up movements, grassroots * developments, civic activism, community engagement, participatory publics, communities and innovation; ethics, power and social justice issues; * * * Community owned and operated * technology, peer production and the commons, DIY and maker communities (makerspaces, fablabs, crafters); community agriculture; * * * Civic problem-solving, communities * in relation to urgent and complex challenges to the health of the planet and the people that inhabit it; collaborative systems; partnering with education; government, civil society, and movements; * * * Support of community processes: * sensemaking, online deliberation; issue, argumentation and discussion mapping; community ideation and idea management systems; collective decision-making; group memory; participatory sensory networks; * * * The future of communities * and technology; simulations, utopian or dystopian design; durable relationships and long-range goals; and * * * Development and support * of the Communities & Technologies community; social and technological critique; effectiveness and other measures. * Deadlines * * Papers (full and short) * · * * February 26, 2021 (23:59 * PST), paper submissions due * * * * Workshops * · * * March 12, 2021 (23:59 PST), * workshop proposals due * * * * Case studies * · * * March 12, 2021 (23:59 PST), * case studies due * * * * Doctoral colloquium * · * * April 9, 2021 (23:59 PST), * Doctoral Colloquium applications due * * * * Posters/demos * · * * April 9, 2021 (23:59 PST), * posters/demos due * * * * EUSSET Grant for student * and community organizations to attend C&T 2021 * · * * May 3, 2021 (23:59 PST), * applications due * * * * Student Volunteers * · * * April 15, 2021, applications * due * * * * Early-Bird Registration * · * * May 7, 2021, early-bird * registration ends * * For further details, see https://2021.comtech.community/submissions/. General Chair Shelly D. Farnham, Third Place Technologies Program Co-chairs Sara Fox, Carnegie Mellon University / Community-Tech Collective Kentaro Toyama, University of Michigan Case Studies Co-Chairs Maria Menendez-Blanco, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano Workshop Co-Chairs Jasmine Jones, Berea College Anne Weibert, Universitat Siegen Posters and Demos Co-Chairs Anna De Liddo, The Open University Yuheng Hu, University of Illinois at Chicago Proceedings Chair Florian Cech, Vienna University of Technology / Center for Informatics and Society Student Volunteers Co-Chairs Konstantin Aal, University of Siegen General Organizing Committee Chris Coward, University of Washington / Center for an Informed Public Adrienne Russell, University of Washington Douglas Schuler, The Evergreen State College / Public Sphere Project

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QUALITATIVE RESEARCH AND INNOVATION SPRING FREE WEBINAR SERIES
by Silvana di Gregorio 15 Jan '21

15 Jan '21

QUALITATIVE RESEARCH AND INNOVATION SPRING FREE WEBINAR SERIES presented by NVivo and SAGE Publishing We're proud to be partnering with SAGE Publishing on a webinar series showcasing innovative qualitative and mixed methods research from leading researchers around the world. The series starts in January 2021, the first two webinars: January 21, 2021 COVID-19: The Impact on Qualitative Research - a blip in time? Silvana di Gregorio, PhD is Research Director at QSR International. February 5, 2021 Working with Visual and Sensory Methods to Research Materiality, Mobility and Rhythm Dr Sweta Rajan-Rankin, Dr Erin Sanders-McDonagh and Dr Dawn Lyon, University of Kent See the full schedule and register now https://www.qsrinternational.com/nvivo-qualitative-data-analysis-software/r… Best wishes, Silvana Silvana di Gregorio, PhD Academic Research Director QSR International (UK) Limited Eastside, King's Cross Station, London N1C 4AX United Kingdom T +44 (0)1925 358 095 E s.digregorio(a)qsrinternational.com qsrinternational.com Disclaimer This transmission may contain information which is confidential and privileged and intended only for the addressee. If you are not the addressee you may not use, disseminate or copy this information. If you have received this information in error please notify the sender immediately. Thank you. QSR Privacy Policy

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paid internship: communicating about data research
by Amy Johnson 14 Jan '21

14 Jan '21

Dear all, We're looking for a communications intern at the Global Data Barometer: https://globaldatabarometer.org/jobs/ It's a part-time, paid 3-month position, with a possibility of extension, and always remote, not just pandemic-remote. We're looking for someone excited to think with us about how to communicate meaningfully about data and data research. Maybe that's you? Or maybe you know of students or others for whom this might be a good match and could share this? The application deadline is Jan 22nd. The Barometer is a new global index study that uses an expert survey to assess data for public good across more than 100 countries. We examine data governance, availability, capability, and use and impact through a number of thematic lenses. You can learn more about the project here: https://globaldatabarometer.org/ Many thanks, Amy --- Amy Johnson, PhD Senior Research Lead globaldatabarometer.org<https://globaldatabarometer.org/> Fellow, Language & Technology Lab, MIT Affiliate, Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society, Harvard @shrapnelofme

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embedded metadata dataset 2018-present (meta tags and json-ld)
by kalev leetaru 14 Jan '21

14 Jan '21

For those interested in the evolution and use of <META> tags and JSON-LD blocks in online news over the past two and a half years, we've released a new open dataset cataloging their use across worldwide online news coverage July 2018 to present across all 152 languages we monitor, continually updated every minute: https://blog.gdeltproject.org/announcing-the-global-embedded-metadata-graph/ Kalev

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15th International Conference on Research Challenges in Information Science (RCIS 2021): Last Call for Papers
by Announce Announcements 14 Jan '21

14 Jan '21

*** Last Call for Papers *** 15th International Conference on Research Challenges in Information Science (RCIS 2021) May 12-14, 2021, Royal Apollonia Beach Hotel 5*, Limassol, Cyprus http://www.rcis-conf.com/rcis2021/ Abstract submission deadline (recommended): January 25, 2021 (AoE) Paper submission deadline: February 1, 2021 (AoE) (*** extended! ***) (Proceedings to be published by Springer; Special Issue in DKE, Elsevier) SCOPE AND TOPICS RCIS aims to bring together scientists, researchers, engineers and practitioners from a wide range of information science fields and to provide opportunities for knowledge sharing and dissemination. RCIS 2021 will continue paying attention to traditional topics at the conference; in addition, we solicit submissions aligned with the special theme "Information Science and global crisis". Global crisis, as the pandemic we are experiencing in these days, natural disasters, wars and international political crisis, are challenging Information Science to help building effective management solutions, to learn from previous experience how to prevent them, and to support Humans keep on performing core activities, as education, and communication. The diversity of crises' causes, the quality of the collected data as well as the complexity of the underlying mechanisms are among the relevant research challenges. RCIS welcomes submissions from the whole spectrum of the information science field. The list of themes and topics includes, but is not limited to: Information Systems and their Engineering · Requirements Engineering · Software Testing · Information Security and Risk · Method Engineering User-Oriented Approaches · Social Computing and Social Network Analysis · User-Centred Design · Collaborative Computing · Human Factors in Information Systems Data and Information Management · Databases and Information · Information Search and Discovery · Conceptual Modelling and Ontologies Business Process Management · Business Process Engineering and Reengineering · Process Mining · Enterprise Engineering Domain-specific IS Engineering · E-Health, e-Government, e-Commerce, ... · Web-Based Applications and Services · Industry 4.0 · Web-Based Applications and Services · Smart Cities · Educational Technologies · Digital Humanities Data Science · Big Data & Business Analytics · Decision Information Systems · Knowledge Management · Knowledge Discovery from Data Information Infrastructures · Cyber-Physical Systems · Web Information Systems · Grid Computing and Cloud Computing · Internet of Things · Pervasive and Mobile Computing Reflective Research and Practice · Research Methodologies in Information Science · Impact of Information on the Enterprise and the Individual · Lifecycle Models · Design Science and Rationale Tutorials, Doctoral Consortium, Posters & Demos and Research Projects @RCIS tracks will complement the main conference. SUBMISSION PROCESS Papers shall be formatted according to the Springer LNCS/LNBIP conference proceedings template (for LaTeX and Word): https://www.springer.com/gp/computer-science/lncs/conference-proceedings-gu… . Papers that have already been accepted or are currently under review for other conferences or journals will not be considered for publication at RCIS 2021. Papers should be in English and must be associated to one of the following categories: Technical solution papers (max 16 pages Springer) present solutions that are novel or significantly improve existing approaches. A technical solution paper must include a preliminary validation of the proposed solution, and results must be stated clearly enough so that it is possible to validate them in follow-up research. Evaluation papers (max 16 pages Springer) evaluate existing problem situations or validate proposed solutions through scientific means, i.e., by empirical studies, experiments, case studies, simulations, mathematical proofs, etc. The research method must be sound and appropriate. Industrial practice and experience papers (max 16 pages Springer) thoroughly present problems or challenges encountered in practice, elaborate on success or failure with existing approaches, or report on industrial practice (e.g., methods and tools). A paper in this category shall provide a clear context, detail the problem or the industrial practice, and explain the lessons learned. Work in progress papers (max 8 pages Springer) present relevant preliminary results across the spectrum of information science. These papers can either present a novel technical solution, or report on a preliminary evaluation of a technique. Please note that the maximum length of the paper includes references, appendices, etc. The submission site is https://easychair.org/my/conference?conf=rcis2021 . By submitting a paper, the authors agree that at least one of them will register to the conference and present the paper. The appearance of a paper in the Springer proceedings is dependent on the registration of one author within the early registration deadline on March 29, 2021. We adopt a single-blind review format, meaning that the author names are included in the paper itself under the paper title. JOURNAL SPECIAL ISSUE A selection of the best accepted papers of RCIS 2021, chosen by a dedicated committee, will be invited to submit an extended version of the RCIS paper to the Data & Knowledge Engineering (DKE) journal published by Elsevier (https://www.journals.elsevier.com/data-and-knowledge-engineering) The selection of the papers to invite will be based on the review scores and arguments, and the potential for extension. IMPORTANT DATES · Abstract submission deadline for regular papers: January 25, 2021 (AoE) · Regular paper submission deadline: February 1, 2021 (AoE) (extended) · Notification to authors and registration opening: March 12, 2021 · Author registration deadline for all paper types: March 29, 2021 · Camera-ready copy deadline for all paper types: March 29, 2021 · Conference: May 12-14, 2021 CONFERENCE COMMITTEES Steering Committee · Saïd Assar, Institut Mines-Telecom Business School, France · Marko Bajec,University of Ljubljana, Slovenia · Pericles Loucopoulos, Manchester University, University Kingdom · Haralambos Moratidis, University of Brighton, United Kingdom · Selmin Nurcan, Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, France · Oscar Pastor, Universitat Politècnica de València, Spain · Jolita Ralyté, CUI, University of Geneva, Suisse · Colette Rolland, Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, France · Jelena Zdravkovic, Stockholm University, Sweden General Chairs · George A. Papadopoulos, University of Cyprus, Cyprus · Selmin Nurcan, Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, France Organising Chair · Petros Stratis, Easy Conferences LTD., Cyprus Program Chairs · Samira Cherfi, CNAM, France · Anna Perini, FBK, Italy Social Media Chairs · Itzel Morales Ramirez, Instituto de Ingeniería de la UNAM, Mexico · Vítor E. Silva Souza, UFES, Brasil Proceedings Chair · Raihana Ferdous, FBK, Italy

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CFC Extended Firm: Artificial intelligence and Blockchain for Future Cybersecurity Applications by Springer "Studies in Big Data"
by Yassine MALEH 14 Jan '21

14 Jan '21

*Call for Book Chapters: **Artificial intelligence and Blockchain for Future Cybersecurity Applications by Springer **"Studies in Big Data" <https://www.springer.com/series/11970> * Call for chapters website: https://sites.google.com/view/aiblockchain Submission Deadline: *January 20, 2021 (Extended Firm)* Submission Link: https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=aiblockcyber2020 *Scope:* AI and Blockchain technologies have infiltrated all areas of our lives, from manufacturing to healthcare and beyond. Cybersecurity is an industry that has been significantly affected by this technology and maybe more so in the future. The upcoming book will go in-depth showing how Blockchain and Artificial Intelligence can be used for cybersecurity applications. Merging AI and Blockchain can be used to prevent any data breach, identity theft, cyber-attacks, or criminal acts in transactions. Submission Guidelines: Authors are invited to submit their full chapter by* January 20, 2021*. Manuscripts submitted for the book must be original, must not be previously published or currently under review anywhere. Submitted manuscripts should respect the standard guidelines of the *Springer book chapter format*. Manuscripts must be prepared using Latex, or Word, and according to the Springer requirements that can be downloaded from the (*link* <https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.springer.com%2Fde%2Fauthors-…>) and the Chapter should contain between 20-30 pages. *Manuscripts that do not follow the formatting rules will be rejected without review.* Prospective authors should send their manuscripts electronically through the easychair submission system as mentioned below: *Submission Link: *https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=aiblockcyber2020 *NB:* There are *no submission or acceptance fees* for manuscripts submitted to this book publication. All manuscripts are accepted based on a *double-blind peer review* editorial process. List of Topics: - Artificial intelligence models and blockchain cybersecurity - Blockchain-based AI for future cybersecurity applications - AI and Blockchain in Cybersecurity threat detection - Blockchain in intelligent networks - Blockchain and AI for cybersecurity in E-Health - Blockchain and AI for cybersecurity in cyber-physical systems - Blockchain and AI for cybersecurity in Smart cities - Blockchain and AI for cybersecurity in IoT - Clustering and classification algorithms for blockchain for sensor networks - Crypto chips and artificial intelligence - Reinforcement learning and blockchain for Cybersecurity - Intelligent systems for fraud detection and forensics in blockchain environments - Intelligent applications of blockchain and cybersecurity - Multi-agent systems and blockchain for cybersecurity - AI and Blockchain for cybersecurity in cyber-physical systems - Malware detection and Prevention using AI - Deep Learning for Security Operation Centers - Blockchain and AI for detecting threats and attacks - Cybersecurity Using Blockchain Technology - Intrusion and cybersecurity threat detection and analysis - Deep Learning techniques for Cybersecurity and Privacy - Machine Learning techniques for Cybersecurity and Privacy - Big Data Analytics for cybersecurity Editors: - Yassine Maleh, Sultan Moulay Slimane University, Morocco - Youssef Baddi, Chouaib Doukkali University - Mamoun Alazab, Charles Darwin University, Australia - Loai Tawalbeh, Texas A&M University-San Antonio, USA - Imed Romdhani, Edinburgh Napier, UK Important Dates: Chapters Submission: January 20, 2021 Authors notification: January 30, 2021 Camera-ready submission: February 15, 2021 -- Y. Maleh, Ph.D. *Senior Member IEEE* *Professor of Cybersecurity, ENSAK* *Editor in Chief IJSST <https://www.igi-global.com/journal/international-journal-smart-security-tec…>* *Associate Editor,* IEEE <https://ieeeaccess.ieee.org/editorial-leadership-and-staff/associate-editor…>*Access <https://ieeeaccess.ieee.org/editorial-leadership-and-staff/associate-editor…>, IJISP <https://www.igi-global.com/journal/international-journal-information-securi…>, IJDCF <https://www.igi-global.com/journal/international-journal-digital-crime-fore…>* <https://www.igi-global.com/journal/international-journal-digital-crime-fore…> Phone +212 608 867 568 Webiste: Personal Website <https://sites.google.com/view/maleh> *yassine.maleh(a)ieee.org <yassine.maleh(a)ieee.org>* ORC*ID* <http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4704-5364> ; *Pub* <https://publons.com/researcher/1529982>lons ; *R*esearch*G*ate <https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Maleh_Yassine>

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AMCIS 21 CFP> Social Theory in Information Research Minitrack
by Rosenbaum, Howard S. 14 Jan '21

14 Jan '21

Call for Papers: 27th AMCIS August 9-13, 2021 (online) https://amcis2021.aisconferences.org/ Mini Track Title: Social Theory in Information Systems (STIR ’21) Track: Social Inclusion and Socio-Technical Issues Dear Colleagues, We welcome papers for the mini track titled “Social Theory in Information Systems (STIR ’21), for AMCIS 2021. STIR’21 solicits papers that use social theory in IS research drawing upon such approaches as sociotechnical theory, critical theory, social informatics, and organizational theory. We are interested in highlighting research that critically examines the constitution of information and communication technologies (ICTs), and their roles in communities, organizations, and society. We are particularly interested in research that addresses the main theme of the conference “Digital Innovation and Entrepreneurship.” We seek work that is innovative in terms of multi- and trans-disciplinary uses of social theory and methodologies to study ways in which people are using technology to transform or create innovative digital organizations, engage in digital entrepreneurship, and work that focuses on the sociotechnical impacts of new and emerging technologies on people in their organizational and social lives across social and technical boundaries We welcome papers that are innovative in terms of multi- and trans-disciplinary uses of social theory and methodologies to study ways in which people are using technology to transform or create innovative digital organizations, engage in digital entrepreneurship, and work that focuses on digital innovations pre, during and post global pandemic; the changing roles of ICTs from planning for utopian futures to responding to current dystopian times; the intended and unintended consequences of the use of ICTs, social media platforms, or synchronous videoconferencing tools. Of equal interest are the sociotechical implications of the ways in which people are leveraging digital innovation and entrepreneurship to find new ways of doing things in the private, public, and not-for profit sectors. Issues might include critical examinations of the shifting boundaries between the online and offline worlds, producers and consumers, and people and ICTs. They might also include the social impacts of digital innovation and entrepreneurship within and between organizations. The STIR minitrack has been exploring new frontiers in information systems research for years and we look forward helping you present your work at the conference. Suggested Topics In addition to research aligned with the conference theme we are also interested in high quality empirical and conceptual work that uses social theory to study and understand: • The implications of new ways of “doing business” for organizations and social groups in times of pandemic and economic uncertainty • Conceptual and empirical work focusing on the ways digital innovation and entrepreneurship can promote or hinder social inclusion • The relationships between ICTs and people as they participate in online communities and virtual teams • Online communities of practice, their roles, processes, and outcomes • Unintended consequences of the uses of technologies such as social media, or synchronous videoconferencing tools and their use in education, organizations, and in social life • Scientific collaboration and scholarly communication as enabled and constrained by ICTs • The impacts of social computing on our social and work lives broadly and during a pandemic This year we are proud to celebrate the 24th year of the Social Theory in Information Systems Research minitrack. Since 1996, scholars and researchers have presented cutting edge research, using social theory in their work. Important Dates March 1, 2021: Completed research and ERF submissions are due at 5 p.m. EST April 21, 2021: Workshop, panel, TREO and PDS submissions are due at 5 p.m Submit your paper here: https://new.precisionconference.com/user/login Submission instructions and information about the conference can be found here: https://amcis2021.aisconferences.org/amcis-2021-call-for-papers/ We look forward to your submissions! MINITRACK CHAIR CONTACT INFORMATION Pnina Fichman, Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering, Indiana University fichman(a)indiana.edu Howard Rosenbaum, Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering, Indiana University hrosenba(a)indiana.edu

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Job opening - Postdoctoral Fellow: Explainability and Auditability of AI in Content Moderation
by Dhanaraj Thakur 13 Jan '21

13 Jan '21

Hello everyone (and apologies for cross-posting), We have a job opening at the Center for Democracy & Technology (CDT) <https://cdt.org/> for a Postdoctoral Fellow <https://cdt.org/job/cdt-postdoctoral-fellow-explainability-of-ai-in-content…> to work on developing models and tools to improve the explainability and auditability of AI-based content moderation systems. I would appreciate it if you can share with relevant colleagues and recent PhD graduates. I am also happy to answer questions from interested applicants. This should be someone who recently completed their PhD in a relevant discipline, with demonstrated research expertise related to this topic. This is a one-year full-time Fellowship, with the possibility of renewal for another year based on performance and availability of funds. Limited funding is available for approved research expenses associated with the Fellow’s project. We offer a competitive salary and excellent benefits. The expected start date for the Fellowship is March/April 2021, so interested persons should apply as soon as possible. The position is based at CDT’s Washington, D.C. office (with remote work currently in effect due to COVID-19). Further details and application instructions are here <https://cdt.org/job/cdt-postdoctoral-fellow-explainability-of-ai-in-content…>. thanks, Dhanaraj -- *Dhanaraj Thakur* (he/him) | Research Director Center for Democracy & Technology |*cdt.org <https://cdt.org/>* *E:* dthakur(a)cdt.org <mailto:dthakur@cdt.org> | *P:* +1 202 407 8849 | @thakurdhanaraj

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Invitation to Reflecting on Power and AI: The Case of GPT-3
by James Steinhoff 13 Jan '21

13 Jan '21

SAVE THE DATE! You are invited to attend: Workshop of the Society for Phenomenology and Media Reflecting on Power and AI: The Case of GPT-3 Date: February 18th 2021, 09:00 – 18:45 (GMT-8), 18:00 – 19:45 (CET) Location: Zoom, link will be provided later. Speakers: Dr. James Steinhoff (eScience Institute at the University of Washington, USA), Dr. Olya Kudina (TU Delft, The Netherlands), Dr. Bas de Boer (University of Twente, The Netherlands) Registration: No registration needed. You are all cordially invited to the workshop Reflecting on Power and AI: The Case of GPT-3. Description: One of the latest hallmarks of current boom in Artificial Intelligence (AI) is Generative Pre-Trained Transformer 3 (GPT-3), an unprecedentedly powerful autoregressive language model that uses deep learning to produce human-like texts ranging from historical fiction to functional code (Floridi & Chiriatti 2020). For the philosopher David Chalmers, GPT-3 is the most interesting and important AI system ever produced, and is suggested to be the first AI system displaying signs of general intelligence (Chalmers 2020). The possibilities presented by GPT-3 give rise to an array of ethical and political concerns that will be explored in this workshop: How to deal with potential biases GPT-3 inherited from training data? Can and should we use artificial language models to displace human workers? What role will language play in our lives when we know that it is often algorithmically produced? Can GPT-3 be used to eliminate existing inequalities, or is it likely to increase those? Last but not least, what can the companies behind GPT-3 do to ensure a responsible development and use of their product? The goal of this workshop is to explore the abovementioned issues from the perspective of two different philosophical approaches that each have a distinct outlook on the role of technologies in contemporary society but have rarely been put in conversation: Marxist media theory and the Technological Mediation Approach (TMA). In the first case, AI is approached as first and foremost an automation technology and is thus situated in the context of its commercial/industrial development and deployment. However, the Marxist approach also entails an ontological dimension insofar as it insists that capital (and its technologies) revolve around the central directive of the increase of the “real abstraction” of value, which is immaterial while configuring the concrete world. Two very different schools of Marxist theory will be drawn upon: labour process theory and value-form Marxism. In the second case,, AI can be approached as a mediating technology, through which the primary concern becomes how it shapes the way human beings understand and experience themselves and the world around them. In this workshop, we will use the framework of TMA to analyze how technologies generally shape our being-in-the-world, and point to how they do so very differently when integrated into different practices. After having outlined these two different perspectives, a plenary discussion will take place where the relevance of each of these perspectives for analysing the societal impact of GPT-3 will be explored. Preparation: An article will be distributed approximately one week before the date on which the workshop will take place. Schedule: 09:00 – 09:15 (GMT-8) / 18:00 – 18:15 (CET): General introduction and an introduction into GPT-3 09:15 – 09:45 (GMT-8) / 18:15 – 18:45 (CET): Marxist media theory and GPT-3 (James Steinhoff) – Title: TBA 09:45 – 10:15 (GMT-8) / 18:45 – 19:15 (CET): The Technological Mediation Approach and GPT-3 (Olya Kudina & Bas de Boer) – Title: TBA 10:15 – 10:45 (GMT-8) / 19:15 – 19:45 (CET): Discussion with audience about the two approaches in relation to GPT-3 Bios: James Steinhoff is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the eScience Institute at the University of Washington. His research interests include algorithmic media theory, political economy, philosophy of technology and Marxism. He is author of Automation and Autonomy: Labour, Capital and Machines in the Artificial Intelligence Industry (2021, Palgrave) and co-author of Inhuman Power: Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Capitalism (2019, Pluto). Bas de Boer is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Twente, The Netherlands. His research interests are in the philosophy of science technology, (post-)phenomenology, and the philosophy of medicine. Recently, his monograph How Scientific Instruments Speak: Postphenomenology and Technological Mediations in Neuroscientific Practice (2021, Lexington) was published. Olya Kudina is an Assistant Professor in the Ethics of Technology at Delft University of Technology, the Netherlands. She explores the role of technology in the sense-making processes and the technologically-induced value change. Her research interests span across the intersection of (post)phenomenology, design, bioethics and AI. References: Chalmers, D. (2020). “GPT-3 and General Intelligence.” https://dailynous.com/2020/07/30/philosophers-gpt-3/#chalmers (Accessed, 18/12/2020). Floridi, L., and M. Chiriatti. (2020). “GPT-3: Its Nature, Scope, Limits, and Consequences.” Minds and Machines 30, 681-694. Abstracts: TBA

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Job: Associate/Full Professor - Technology for Learning and Social Change
by mcburton 13 Jan '21

13 Jan '21

University of Pittsburgh, School of Computing and Information *Deadline: March 15, 2021* The School of Computing and Information (SCI) is seeking to hire an experienced and visionary faculty member at the associate professor/full professor level in the broad area of technology for learning and social change. The school is particularly interested in individuals who work at the intersection of computing and information with other areas including but not limited to Africana Studies, Artificial intelligence, Communications, Computational social science, Education, Educational psychology, Gender studies, Human-computer interaction, Law, Learning sciences, Public policy, Responsible data science, or Social work. For more information, please visit: https://www.sci.pitt.edu/recruiting/technology-learning-and-social-change <https://www.sci.pitt.edu/recruiting/technology-learning-and-social-change> The School of Computing and Information has 4 other faculty positions as well: https://www.sci.pitt.edu/recruiting -- Matt Burton School of Computing and Information University of Pittsburgh

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