Co-ordinators: Prof. Dr. Petra Ahrweiler, Mr. Dario Brockschmidt.
Topic: Artificial Intelligence (AI) enhances ecological crisis response, especially in disaster management—via weather forecasting, flood prediction, sensor networks, agent-based simulations, automated decisions, leakage detection, and smart metering. Yet its full potential remains untapped. Current AI development is largely expert-driven, ignoring societal needs: it lacks community-centric forecasting, local languages, culturally appropriate communication, and focus on marginalized groups. Equitable AI requires stakeholder involvement to align with local realities, boost acceptance, and ensure transparency. Fairness algorithms can reduce resource allocation bias; participatory modeling integrates local knowledge. Ethical billing and clear smart meter interfaces build trust. Crucially, AI must account for climatic, geographic, socio-political, economic, regulatory, and cultural differences—tailoring solutions to local institutions and testing scalability.
Key questions:
- Can AI systems be designed to adapt to diverse social values and rapid societal changes through participatory approaches?
- Can stakeholder participation foster socially and ecologically sustainable AI development across different governance contexts?
- What are the long-term implications of Participatory AI for environmental and social justice?
- What are the connections of Participatory AI to the European Social Model, and can Participatory AI become the specific competitive advantage of Europe?
- How can a new generation of Participatory AI experts be trained at universities that is capable of meeting complex societal demands in environmentally just climate control?
Activity: We are now engaged in an interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary cooperation between the Digital Transformation and Climate & Resources Labs, also drawing on the expertise of the FORTHEM Alliance Partners, searching for ethical, responsible, and participatory AI co-design in climate crisis response. We will
- Explore the current landscape and future possibilities of Participatory AI for climate (scouting study with report)
- Develop joint curricular and training opportunities concerning a “Participatory AI for Climate” programme between FORTHEM partners (1 partner meeting, workshop in Mainz), e.g. a Blended Intensive Programme with different Forthem partners and students
- Involve students at FORTHEM partner universities in co-creating topics for the new programme (student scouting workshops, online or hybrid)
FORTHEM Partners
- University of Valencia, Spain (Oscar Barberà)
- University of Jyväskylä, Finland (Lauri Frank)
- University of Bourgogne, France (Fabrice Mariaudeau)
- University of Opole, Poland (Marta Maciejasz)