Something is happening in Computer Science, the “new” AI based on machine learning and data is having enormous success.

Its pros and cons, as well as its impact on society, are the subject of intense public debates, including contributions from the digital humanism community.

About

In our workshop we will focus on the challenges for computer science and the sciences in general. We want to discuss and reflect on the possible paradigm shift in computer science, the move from logic and algorithmic certainty to probability and LLMs as story machines. This has enormous implications for many other sciences, as computer science has become a foundation of almost all scientific and applied research. We will also discuss the changing role of universities, since research increasingly shifts to large IT platforms given the resources required.

The workshop will put emphasis on debate and exchange: each slot (with a moderator) will start with an introductory lecture (30-35 minutes), followed by a panel with statements and questions by the commentators (20 minutes). Afterwards there will be an open discussion with all participants.

• Registration: Online at IWM (participation free of charge, but registration required!)
• Venue: TU Wien, Lecture Hall FAV 1, Favoritenstrasse 9-11, 1040 Wien
• Organizers: Faculty of Informatics TU Wien, Institute for Human Sciences (IWM)
• Chairs: Hannes Werthner, Stefan Woltran, Ludger Hagedorn

This event is supported by:

• Verein zur Förderung des Digitalen Humanismus
• FWF Cluster-of-Excellence Bilateral AI
• TU Wien Center for Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
• Austrian Ministry of Climate Action and Energy

Program

Overview

Program Details

Thursday, Nov 28

9:00–10:30 // History of AI

• Moderator: Hannes Werthner (TU Wien)
• Speaker: Thomas Haigh (University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee)
• Panel: Enrico Nardelli (University of Rome “Tor Vergata”), Lynda Hardman (CWI Amsterdam)

11:00–12:30 // Symbolic AI – What It Can and Cannot

• Moderator: Agata Ciabattoni (TU Wien)
• Speaker: Thomas Eiter (TU Wien)
• Panel: Peter Knees (TU Wien), Martina Seidl (University Linz)

14:00–15:30 // Sub-Symbolic AI – What It Can and Cannot

• Moderator: Claudia Plant (University Vienna)
• Speaker: Sepp Hochreiter (University Linz)
• Panel: Francesco Ricci (University Bolzano), Axel Polleres (WU Wien)

16:00–17:30 // Symbolic and Sub-Symbolic AI - Co-exist or Combine?

• Moderator: Hans Akkermans (UDS, Tamale, Ghana)
• Speaker: Frank van Harmelen (VU Amsterdam)
• Panel: Brigitte Krenn (ÖFAI), Gerhard Friedrich (University Klagenfurt)

Friday, Nov 29

9:00–10:30 // New Paradigm – New Computer Science?

• Moderator: Helga Nowotny (Former President ERC)
• Speaker: Moshe Vardi (Rice University)
• Panel: Peter Reichl (University Vienna), Viola Schiaffonati (Politecnico Milan)

11:00–12:30 // What Can Philosophy Tell Us

• Moderator: Ludger Hagedorn (IWM)
• Speaker: Tim Crane (Central European University)
• Panel: Erich Prem (Verein Digitaler Humanismus), Luc Steels (VU Brussel)

14:00–15:30 // Impact on Scientific Research

• Moderator: Stefan Woltran (TU Wien)
• Speaker: Noshir Contractor (North Western University Chicago)
• Panel: Georg Dorffner (Meduni Wien), Günter Klambauer (University Linz)

16:00–17:30 // The Role of Universities in a Platform Dominated World

• Moderator: Christiane Wendehorst (University Vienna)
• Speaker: Gerti Kappel (TU Wien)
• Panel: Stefan Klein (University Münster), George Metakides (DEF)

People

Details on the chairs, speakers, and panelists at:

• informatics.tuwien.ac.at/stories/2745/people/