Writing

My current writing centers mainly around the regulation, governance and ethics of artificial intelligence. This page and my google scholar account hosts a selection of writing on that topic and others. Over the last years, I have contributed to various national and international government consultations and AI strategies, as well as to policy papers from the G20, G7, UNESCO, OECD and the European Commission.

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Book Chapters 

Forthcoming: OUP Chapter on European AI Governance

A forthcoming book chapter with Oxford University Press on the governance of AI in the European Union.

Digital Transformation and Ethics

The chapter in this book approaches the topic of non-medically necessary enhancement from the perspective of the Extended Mind Hypothesis. It briefly covers ground what an introduction to this angle would look like and what consequences policy makers should take from it.

Reports 

AI Governance in 2019: A Year in Review. Commentary by 50 global experts

This report was developed by 50 experts from 44 institutions, including AI scientists, academic researchers, industry representatives, policy experts, and others. This group of experts covers a wide range of regional developments and perspectives, including those in the United States, Europe and Asia.

The European Artificial Intelligence Ecosystem: Components and Concerns

Compared to other global powers, the European Union (EU) is rarely considered a leading player in the development of artificial intelligence (AI). Why is this, and does this in fact accurately reflect the EU’s activities? What would it take for the EU to take a more leading role in AI? This report surveys core components of the EU’s current AI ecosystem, providing the crucial background context for answering these questions. 

Toward Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence  Development: Mechanisms for Supporting Verifiable Claims

This report proposes mechanisms to improve the verifiability of claims made about a given AI-based system. The mechanisms provided can serve the purpose of enabling verifiability of claims from the perspective of developers and industry, but also to ensure that civil society, government and other stakeholders can evaluate claims.

Healthcare, Workforce and Organisational Transformation with AI: Enacting Change

With AI in healthcare being a fast-moving field, the report provides a unique vantage point from the frontline of healthcare delivery and innovation today.

As the report takes a broad pan-European perspective, identifying levers for change at the personnel, infrastructural and environmental levels, further exploration of how these findings could be translated at a national level is warranted.

Enabling Better Mental Health via the Ethical Adoption of Technologies

This report discusses the role that technology plays and can play in helping to address mental health concerns. Research on emerging technologies and ethics has led me to contribute to it as a member of the World Economic Forum's Global Future Council on Neurotechnologies. 

Guarding our Future: How to include Future Generations in Policy Making

This report outlines how a Guardian for Future Generations would practically work in existing government structures and what changes would need to be made to enable future oriented policy making. By appointing a legal representative, a Guardian that actively speaks up in the name of future generations, we could bring 21st century checks and balances to our political institutions.

The European AI Landscape: EU workshop report

This report is an initial snapshot of the European AI landscape (2017). AI resources are scattered throughout Europe, and we must acknowledge that international competition is fierce. Therefore, in order to fully exploit the potential of AI for the benefit of the European economy and society and to guarantee Europe's leading position in AI, it is essential to join forces at the European level to capitalise on our strengths.

Papers, Articles and Commentary

Bridging the Gap: The case for an Incompletely Theorized Agreement on AI Policy

There has been a wave of promising scholarship on AI ethics, however, these communities at times appear divided amongst scholars who emphasize 'near-term' concerns, and those focusing on 'long-term' AI policy, with debates at times hamstrung by adversarial exchanges. This peer reviewed paper maps and examines this, with a view to understanding the practical space for inter-community collaboration on AI policy.

Actionable Principles for Artificial Intelligence Policy: Three Pathways

In the development of governmental policy for artificial intelligence (AI) that is informed by ethics, one avenue currently pursued is that of drawing on “AI Ethics Principles”. However, these AI Ethics Principles often fail to be actioned in governmental policy. This peer reviewed paper proposes a novel framework for the development of ‘Actionable Principles for AI’.

Shaping the development of Trustworthy AI

We are in the middle of an urgent and crucial time to meaningfully shape the current ecosystem fostering appropriate certification, standardisation, forecasting measures, regulatory or other suitable governance efforts at European and international level without further increasing the pacing gap between technology policy and the technology itself. This article on the St Gallen Symposium examines the issue.

An Infrastructural Framework to achieve a European AI Megaproject

Short paper surveying how an AI mega-project could be established in a timely manner in the European Union. It argues that an immediately implementable strategy for the European Union (EU) could mix institutionalised coordination with a more decentralised model than a CERN-type institution would allow for.

Three Ways AI could help your Mental Health

A popular article on AI usage in mental health practice on the World Economic Forum's Agenda which discusses promising directions towards early detection, accessibility and lowering stigma.

Commentary: Policy and Investment Recommendations

This document serves as a short overview of the Policy and Investment Recommendations for Trustworthy AI. I introduce their background and purpose, and then dive into the main summary of the 33 recommendations.

Commentary: Coordinated Plan on AI

End of 2018, the European Commission released two major documents outlining a coordinated plan for AI. It includes a projected aim of € 20 bn in funding by 2020 and lays the foundation for coordination on AI between European nations, with an invitation for international cooperation. This is a partial overview of the Coordinated Plan on AI that I have cut down, re-structured and edited to highlight the aspects that I am most excited about.

Commentary: German AI Strategy

The Federal Government accepts the assignment the rapid progress in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) offers. To that end, it will harness this innovation boost for the benefit of all. Further, it wants to safeguard the excellent research location Germany, expand the German economy’s competitiveness and promote the various applications of AI in all areas of society. The latter will be supported in terms of societal progress and in the interest of citizens. 

 

Commentary: AI Cornerstones Germany

Take-aways are that the document is: very aligned with European Commission’s AI strategy and the Digital Day Declaration - strong focus on knowledge transfer (connecting R&D&I with economy and industry). There is a focus on building AI clusters, research orgs etc. (beginning with FR collab.);  AI for benefit of society (w. mention of a variety of typical European values); and focus on AI impact on employment (incl. re-/up-skilling, adding AI to several subject courses).