Tag: blog

Workshop Title: “Elephant in the Room:
Envisioning Responsible AI through Speculative Design”

Led by Dr. Freyja van den Boom

Chula Social Innovation Hub
Monday, January 22, 2024, 10 am to 12 noon

Workshop Description: This workshop invites participants to engage in the speculative design process by creating paper models of Thai elephants, which will serve as a metaphor for the ‘elephant in the room’—the often unaddressed issues surrounding responsible AI. Through hands-on activities and guided discussions, participants will explore the ethical, social, and cultural implications of AI in business and society.

Workshop Objectives:

• To use speculative design as a tool for critical thinking about AI.
• To foster a deeper understanding of responsible AI practices.
• To encourage dialogue on the role of companies in AI governance.

Workshop Structure:

Introduction (15 minutes):

• Welcome and ice-breaker activity.
• Brief overview of speculative design and its relevance to AI.

Part 1: Crafting Elephants (30 mins.):

• Participants receive blank paper templates to construct their own Thai elephant models.
• As they build, facilitators prompt reflection on AI attributes that could be represented by different parts of the elephant.

Part 2: Scenario Building (30 mins.):

• Small groups develop future scenarios where AI plays a critical role in society.
• Groups use their paper elephants to represent different aspects of AI in these scenarios.

Part 3: Provocative Discussion (30 mins.):

• Groups present their scenarios and discuss the ‘elephant in the room’—the challenges and opportunities of responsible AI.
• Facilitated discussion on how companies can contribute to ethical AI development.

Conclusion (15 mins.):

• Reflection on key takeaways.
• Discussion on how participants can apply insights from the workshop in their professional roles.

Materials Needed:

• A4 paper templates for Thai elephant models.
• Art supplies for decorating and personalizing models.
• Scenario-building cards with prompts and questions.

Facilitator Notes:

• Encourage creativity and open-mindedness.
• Guide discussions to ensure all voices are heard.
• Provide real-world examples of AI use cases and ethical considerations.

This workshop is designed to be interactive and thought-provoking, using the power of speculative design to bring abstract concepts of responsible AI into tangible, discussable forms.

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AIFutures Workshop and draft Research Proposal

TH[E]AI_LAND

What if
You woke up in the YEAR 2034
What would society look like ?
How will you work, travel and communicate ?
How do you hope to live your life, and what do you fear might happen when our societies become AI societies ?

• How do we avoid misuse and harmful impacts of the use of AI especially on vulnerable communities and people around the world?
• How do we avoid harm to our environment while we share the benefits from AI equitably amongst all stakeholders involved ?

This research looks at the impact of artificial intelligence in societies and governance to ensure the potential from the adoption of AI to disrupt are to the benefit of people, present and future societies.

To improve the discussions at the national and global level about how to govern AI we aim to contribute with insights and perspectives shared by people who may otherwise not be given a voice.

On Methodology: the role for SD in research and for AI policymaking

We adopt a transdisciplinary approach combining socio-legal and creative methods to explore and co-create alternative futures of AI regulation. We will use speculative design, a practice that imagines and experiments with different possible futures and their implications, to critically and creatively engage with the role and impact of AI in society. We will also involve diverse knowledge holders who are often marginalized or excluded from the dominant discourse on AI regulation.

The proposed AI workshop will consist of two main activities: first, participants will co-design artefacts that represent their visions and values for the future of AI regulation, using various materials and tools. Second, participants will use these artefacts to construct and share futures scenarios that illustrate the challenges and opportunities of regulating AI at the national and global level. The aim is to stimulate dialogue and reflection among participants and to generate deeper insights into the ethical, social and legal implications of AI.

Example of SD Artefact to provoke discussions (left) and

AR interactive installation = Screenshot and QRcode (right)

អិឥ – (c)harms