Ethics in IT : Department of Informatics : University of Hamburg

Photo: Bru-nO from Pixabay, cropped

Welcome!

This is the homepage of the research group Ethics in Information Technology at Universität Hamburg. Our team researches the ethical, legal, social and political implications of contemporary information technologies and big data practices.

Here you can learn more about our research group and interdisciplinary team, the research, and teaching we do within and beyond the department of informatics and find latest news about activities from members of the research group.

Photo: Alina Constantin / Better Images of AI / Handmade A.I / CC-BY 4.0

EIT Public Lecture Series: TAMING THE MACHINES

Please join us for the closing lecture this summer semester on July 8, 2025. We are welcoming Prof. Dr. Jessica Heesen (University of Tübingen) who will talk about "The Human in Artificial Intelligence". The lecture by Prof. Dr. Markus Peschl scheduled for July 15, 2025 had to be cancelled. Find more talks in our current program.

Please also browse our past programs and stream previous talks. The lecture by Gloria Origgi is now available for streaming.

News

cover of the journal Social Epistemology

Photo: Routledge, modified

31 July 2025|Publication

Newly published: Generative AI, Quadruple Deception & Trust

Generative AI has taken the world by storm. With millions of regular users, billions of requests and corresponding results, tools employing Generative AI are ceaselessly used and abused for a wide variety of purposes. This newly published article by Prof. Dr. Judith Simon focuses on the problem of deception resulting from...

Photo: Jonathan Velasquez on Unsplash, cropped

19 July 2025|Interview

Der Tag: KI an, Hirn aus? Warum wir neu denken müssen

Künstliche Intelligenz verändert unseren Alltag und ganze Berufsfelder. Sie hilft uns zu navigieren, an Informationen zu kommen, Ideen zu entwickeln. Sie kann extrem hilfreich sein, aber sie darf den gesunden Menschenverstand nicht verdrängen. Wie kann das gelingen? Darüber spricht Jan Eggers von der hr...

This features two images, the background image is a road with a zebra crossing. Overlaid is an image of a typical street with buildings either side and cars lined up on the side of the street. The whole image has a purple filter and a pixel effect.

Photo: Elise Racine / https://betterimagesofai.org / https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/, cropped

17 July 2025|Event

Young Academy Lecture: AI & Democracy

This YAF lecture explores how the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence tools influences society at large, public discourse, and what regulatory measures or other societal adaptations are necessary to sustain a democratic society. Following the two keynote talks by Prof. Dr. Judith Simon and Prof. Dr. Sandra Wachter...

Photo: Plattform Lernende Systeme/Thilo Schoch, cropped

8 July 2025|Event

Public Lecture: The Human in AI: Ethical Perspectives on Chatbots and Deepfakes

In discussions about the regulation of AI, as well as in science and society, there is often talk of “human-centred” AI. Nevertheless, many people fear AI that is too human-like, with abilities and emotions similar to our own. In her talk on 8 July 2025, Prof. Dr. Jessica Heesen (University of Tübingen) will explore the...

Building blocks are overlayed with digital squares that highlight people living their day-to-day lives through windows. Some of the squares are accompanied by cursors.

Photo: Emily Rand & LOTI / https://betterimagesofai.org / https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

27 June 2025|Event

Demokratie und KI: Zur digitalen Transformation unserer Lebensform

In seinem Vortrag „Demokratie und KI: Zur digitalen Transformation unserer Lebensform“ sprach Dr. Jan-Philipp Kruse auf Einladung der Philosophischen Gesellschaft Bremerhaven e.V. über die Chancen und Herausforderungen, die künstliche Intelligenz für unsere Gesellschaft und Demokratie mit sich bringt.

Photo: Adobe Stock/422738189, cropped

26 June 2025|Event

Einstein Forum: Courage and Convictions. Practicing Judgment

What is good judgment, and how is it distinct from intelligence? What distinguishes it from opinions, gut feelings, and personal truths? The international conference "Courage and Convictions. Practicing Judgment" in Potsdam will address these and other related questions. Prof. Judith Simon is with her talk "Knowing...

Photo: Aimee van Wynsberghe, cropped

24 June 2025|Event

Cancelled: Public Lecture: Repairing AI for Environmental Justice

Please note: the lecture had to be cancelled at short notice. In her talk on June 24, 2025, Prof. Dr. Aimee van Wynsberghe (Universität Bonn) will outline a definition of Sustainable AI as an umbrella term to cover two branches with different aims and methods: AI for sustainability vs the sustainability of AI.

Photo: Adobe Stock/422738189, cropped

16 June 2025|Event

DachSalon: Gefühle im Zeitalter des Digitalen

Gespräch über Körper, Maschinen und »A Perfect Sky«. KI und Digitalität: mal ein Versprechen menschlicher Perfektion, mal eine dystopische Vision. Doch was macht der Siegeszug der Maschinen eigentlich mit dem, was als spezifisch menschlich gilt? Den Gefühlen, den Körpern, dem Zusammenleben? Anhand von »A Perfect Sky« von...

Photo: UHH/Dingler

16 June 2025|Event

Öffentlicher Vortrag: SGD 5, SDG 10: Sustainability by Design? Ethik und Werte in der Technikgestaltung

Am 16. Juni 2025 ist Prof. Dr. Judith Simon zu Gast in der öffentlichen Ringvorlesung "Spitzenforschung für Nachhaltigkeit in Hamburg" und spricht über Ethik und Werte in der Technikgestaltung.

Archive of current news