Adaptive Governance of Emerging Technologies (AdGovEm)

AI and biotechnology are two key emerging technologies that can mitigate large-scale problems, such as global warming or public health challenges, but also add new and unforeseen risks. They are characterized by complex innovation dynamics, and innovation outpaces in many dimensions political and legal adaptations.

The interdisciplinary research network EmTechAdGov is based at University of Freiburg and chaired by Prof. Dr. Silja Vöneky and  Prof. Dr. Rolf Backofen. An aim is to analyze existing rules, as the current General Assembly Res. on safe, secure and trustworthy AI (11 March 24) and the EU AI Act (2024); besides we aim to develop proposals for a new adaptive governance architecture for emerging technologies, especially AI and biotechnology, to promote the common good and protect human and constitutional rights. This shall involve developing analytical, descriptive, and normative methods to reduce uncertainties concerning the impacts of new technologies. As a key challenge to make a governance framework contextual, fast, and adaptive core elements of adaptive governance shall be assessed. This includes answering the questions whether and, if yes, in which regard AI shall not only be an object of regulation but be part of such a governance framework. How can we achieve that an adaptive governance framework is based on a set of rules and procedures that are frequently updated through the inclusion of new information and – at the same time – strengthen democratic legitimacy and the rule of law?

The network consists of researchers from the University of Freiburg and other partners from various disciplines, such as law, ethics, philosophy, bioinformatics, computer sciences, mathematics, medicine, biology, environmental sciences, psychology, sociology and anthropology. Part of the network is an interdisciplinary network of early career researchers and ongoing research projects (see below).

Workshops, Presentations and Lecture Series

Lunch Lecture Series Adaptive Governance of Emerging Technologies

• 08 May 2024, 12:30-14:00h: Daniel Feuerstack, Das neue EU-KI-Gesetz: Eine Übersicht und kritische Reflexion; Location: FRIAS, University of Freiburg, Albertstraße 19, 79104 Freiburg

• 29 May 2024, 12:30-14:00h: Anton Leicht, Normative Grundlagen unabhängiger KI-Entscheidungen; Location: Co-Creation-Raum Alte Uni, University of Freiburg, Bertholdstraße 17, 79098 Freiburg
  
• 26 June 2024, 12:30-14:00h: Nora Hertz, Das gläserne Gehirn? Die Regulierung von Neurotechnologien im neuen EU-KI-Gesetz

- new dates following soon-

Adaptive Governance of Emerging Technologies Workshop, 27.02.2024

Safe AI - Fundamental Principles by Thorsten Schmidt (Prof. Dr. Fac. Mathematics & Physics, University of Freiburg)

Perceptions - Ethics - Politics - Laws: An Interdisciplinary Review of AI Governance Across Jurisdictions by Jens-Peter Schneider (Prof. Dr. Fac. of Law, University of Freiburg) and Anna-Julia Saiger (Postdoc Fac. of Law, University of Freiburg), together with Cathrin Zengerling (Jun. Prof. TT. Fac. of Env. & Natural Resources, University of Freiburg),  Andrea Kiesel (Prof. Dr. Fac. of Economics & Behav. Sciences, University of Freiburg), Philipp Späth (Apl. Prof. Fac. of Env. & Natural Resources, University of Freiburg), Elisa Orrù (PD. Fac. of Humanities, University of Freiburg; MPI CSL)

Fairness in AI Systems by Daniel Feuerstack (Researcher, Faculty of Law, Public Law, Dep. 2, University of Freiburg)

Justice-Related Governance of AI and Plant Genetic Engineering; A Comprehensive Framework for the Ethics Assessment of Emerging Technologies by Joachim Boldt (PD. Fac. of Medicine, University of Freiburg), Elisa Orrù (PD. Fac. of Humanities, University of Freiburg; MPI CSL)

On the Cultural Embedding of Regulation: Conceptualizations of Ethnographic Cultural Analysis by Sarah May (PD. Fac. of Humanities, University of Freiburg), Markus Tauschek (Prof. Dr. Fac. of Humanities, University of Freiburg)

Fairness: AI, Ethics and Law Workshop (FRIAS), 24.01.2024

Framing Computational Fairness by Wilfried Hinsch (Prof. em. Philosophy, Fac. of Arts and Humanities, University of Cologne)

Legal Aspects: Fairness and Non-Discrimination in the Field of AI by Daniel Feuerstack (Researcher, Faculty of Law, Public Law, Dep. 2, University of Freiburg)

Fairness in Machine Learning: Navigating the Landscape with a Spotlight on Fairness Metrics by Noor Awad (Postdoc Fac. of Engineering, University of Freiburg) and Frank Hutter (Prof. Dr. Fac. of Engineering, University of Freiburg)

Fairness in Context - A Mathematical Perspective on Fairness by Thorsten Schmidt (Prof. Dr. Fac. Mathematics & Physics, University of Freiburg)

Interdisciplinary AdGovEm Research Projects University of Freiburg

• Cathrin Zengerling, Andrea Kiesel, Philipp Späth, Jens-Peter Schneider, Elisa Orrù, Anna-Julia Saiger, Perceptions – Ethics – Politics – Laws: An interdisciplinary review of AI governance across jurisdictions
• Markus Tauschek, Sarah May, Hannah Kanz, Towards the Embeddedness of AI Governance in Everyday Life
• Markus Tauschek, Sarah May, Hannah Kanz, Digital beings as (the more) social beings?! Negotiating empathy, affect and ethics in sensitive fields of work
• Thorsten Schmidt, Safe AI: Fundamental Aspects
• Joachim Boldt, Elisa Orrù, A Comprehensive Framework for the Ethics Assessment of Emerging Technologies
• Joachim Boldt, Elisa Orrù, Justice-Related Governance of AI and Plant Genetic Engineering -pending-

Interdisciplinary AdGovEm Graduate Network University of Freiburg

• Elisabeth Andersen, Regulation of biotechnological risks in a multi-level system: An analysis of the EU regulation of genome-edited plants in light of WTO law and CETA, Former Research Assistant at Institute of Public Law, Dep. 2 International Law and Comparative Law
• Constantin Born, Medizinische Forschung mit Minderjährigen, Research Assistant at Institute of Public Law, Dep. 2 International Law and Comparative Law
• Gizem Demir, Marine Bioprospecting in Light of the New High Seas Treaty, Research Assistant at Institute of Public Law, Dep. 2 International Law and Comparative Law
• Daniel Feuerstack, Menschenrechtliche Vorgaben in Bezug auf die Intransparenz von KI-Systemen, Research Assistant at Institute of Public Law, Dep. 2 International Law and Comparative Law
• Nora Hertz, Der menschenrechtliche Schutz neuronaler Aktivitäten - Menschenrechtliche Anforderungen an die Regulierung von Neurotechnologien als nicht-medizinische Anwendungen, Research Assistant at Institute of Public Law, Dep. 2 International Law and Comparative Law
• Sebastian Höpfl, Anspruch des Sollens im Sein - Eine kritische Untersuchung zu ontologischen Wurzeln von Hans Jonas' Verantwortungsethik, Research Assisstant at Institute of Medical Ethics and Medical History
• Lina Irscheid, Künstliche Intelligenz als Entscheidungsgrundlage im Klimaanpassungsrecht, Research Assisstant at Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, Institute of Environmental Social Sciences and Geography, Transformation to Sustainable Energy Systems
• Francis Klippel, Scope of the Right to an effective Remedy for (more) effective Human Rights Protection - Stereotyping in Justice as a Challenge to the Systems of the ECHR, ACHR and ICCPR, Research Assistant at Institute of Public Law, Dep. 2 International Law and Comparative Law
• Dr. Frauke Lachenmann, The Good Faith Principle in ICJ Jurisprudence, Scientific Coordinator at Institute of Public Law, Dep. 2 International Law and Comparative Law
• Anton Leicht, Aggregative Alignments of Artificial Agents, Research Assistant at Institute of Public Law, Dep. 2 International Law and Comparative Law
• Jenny Liu, Neuroimaging-Verfahren und die Erhebung von Gehirndaten - Verfassungsrechtliche Vorgaben unter Berücksichtigung ihrer Nutzungsmöglichkeiten, External Doctoral Candidate at Institute of Public Law, Dep. 2 International Law and Comparative Law
• Zlatko Valentic, Politische Philosophie, Ethik, Einfluss von KI und Fake News auf die politische Urteilskraft, Center for Security and Society, Philosophical Seminar, Seminar for scientific politics
• Leonard Walden, Zentralbankvermögen und deren Verwertung: Völkerrechtliche Fragen der Rechtmäßigkeit der Verwertung des russischen Zentralbankvermögens, Research Assistant at Institute of Public Law, Dep. 2 International Law and Comparative Law
• Silke Weller, Extraterritoriale Staatenpflichten und internationale Steuerpolitik: Menschenrechte als Maßstab für die Ausgestaltung des globalen Steuersystems?, Research Assistant at Institute of Public Law, Dep. 2 International Law and Comparative Law
• Dr. Svenja Wiertz, Postdoctoral Researcher at Institute of Medical Ethics and Medical History

Publications by ECRs of Network

• D. Becker, D. Feuerstack, Der neue Entwurf des EU-Parlaments für eine KI-Verordnung, MMR 2024, 22
• C. Born, Neue Regeln für geneditierte Pflanzen in Europa? Der Verordnungsentwurf der EU-Kommission zu neuen genomischen Verfahren in der Pflanzenzüchtung, FIP 1/2024
• D. Feuerstack, Künstliche Intelligenz und internationale Menschenrechte, ZfDR 2023, 184
• D. Feuerstack, Menschenrechtliche Vorgaben an die Transparenz KI-basierter Entscheidungen und deren Berücksichtigung in bestehenden Regulierungsansätzen, OdW 3 (2022), 167
• D. Feuerstack, D. Becker, N. Hertz, Die Entwürfe des EU-Parlaments und der EU-Kommission für eine KI-Verordnung im Vergleich. Eine Bewertung mit Fokus auf Regeln zu Transparenz, Forschungsfreiheit, Manipulation und Emotionserkennung, ZfDR 4/2023

• L. Londoño, J.V. Hurtado, N. Hertz, P. Kellmeyer, S. Voeneky, A. Valada, Fairness and Bias in Robot Learning (preprint)

• N. Hertz, „Neurorechte“ – Zeit für neue Menschenrechte? Eine Neubetrachtung des Menschenrechts auf Gedankenfreiheit, FIP 2/2023

 Speaker and Scientific Coordinator