On November 21st as part of the Digital Humanism – Interdisciplinary Science and Research Conference Katja Mayer presented Offenheit neu verhandeln – KI im öffentlichen Interesse gestalten.

Slides of the presentation
Audio track
Transcript

Abstract

This paper argues that for AI to serve the public good, it must align with the principles of open science and open knowledge. We propose concrete ac-tions that Digital Humanism can support within higher education, research, and policy advocacy to ensure AI development prioritizes human rights, ethical responsibility, and the public benefit. We emphasize the importance of existing open infrastructures, which can serve as models for transparent, accessible, and accountable AI development. By fostering collaboration across disciplines and sectors, Digital Humanism can guide the creation of sustainable AI ecosystems. Europe, with its established open science and knowledge commons infrastructure, is uniquely positioned to lead this ef-fort, with Digital Humanism playing a crucial role in facilitating this trans-formation.

About the Speaker

Dr Katja Mayer is Senior Scientist at the Centre for Social Innovation ZSI and a sociologist at the University of Vienna. She works at the intersection of science, technology, and society. Since 2019, she has focused on the politics of open science and open data in the context of AI.

Dr Mayer has served as the PI for international research projects and as a rapporteur for the European Commission’s Open Science MLE in 2018. She has contributed extensively to policy advice and promoting open science in science diplomacy. Her practical experience from prior work in the IT industry and her former role as a research advisor to the President of the European Research Council have enriched her transdisciplinary approach. Additionally, she has mentored and trained individuals in open research practices and has taught citizen science and critical data studies at TU Munich and the University of Lucerne, among others.