In the presentation, we introduce an innovative idea: algorithms can be seen as emerging institutions in modern societies. They function as rule sets shaping norms and environments for both humans and machines. As a result, algorithms impact individual behaviors and have broader societal effects. We illustrate this concept by examining examples of algorithms used in public security, government platforms, and recommendation systems across different domains. Our conclusion emphasizes the need to democratize algorithms, similar to how other complex institutions have been democratized in the past, to mitigate the risks they present to contemporary societies.
Speaker: Virgilio Almeida, Harvard University, USA & Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil
Moderator: Lynda Hardman, CWI - Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica, Amsterdam and Utrecht University
The Digital Humanism Lecture Series is organized by the Faculty of Informatics of TU Wien and TU Wien's Center for Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (CAIML).
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Digital Europe Programme under Grant Agreement No. 101123121 (EURIDICE). This output reflects the consortium’s view and the European Commission cannot be held responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein. euridice.eu/