Philosophy, AI, and Innovation Seminar

Description: The seminar will explore issues at the intersection of philosophy, AI, and technological innovation, co-taught by a philosopher and a technologist. The seminar will welcome a variety of visiting discussants from philosophy, computer science, and the technology industry throughout term. The focus will be on how a concern for human flourishing can be embedded in the global technology development pipeline, and on exploring how broader bridges can be built between philosophy and technology. The seminar is primarily aimed at philosophy graduate students and computer science graduate students but participants from other levels and areas are welcome. Topics include: truth-seeking AI, privacy, collective intelligence, decentralization in science and AI, and approaches to human autonomy. The seminar culminates in a clinic to facilitate grant applications for independent summer projects on the themes of the seminar.

Prerequisites: please email HAI Lab philipp.koralus@philosophy.ox.ac.uk no later than April 27th with a (very) brief explanation of your interest in the seminar to reserve a spot, and the subject line “TT Seminar”. Space limited to maintain quality of discussion.

Please see the individual talks pages for the accompanying readings.
Type: Seminar Series
Series organiser: Dr Philipp Koralus (Philosophy, Oxford)
Timing: Tuesdays 2-4pm (29 April - 17 June 2025)
Web Address: https://hailab.ox.ac.uk/event/philosophy-ai-and-innovation-seminar/
Organising department: Faculty of Philosophy

Talks:

Tuesday 29 April 2025

Philosophy, AI, and Innovation Seminar: Truth-seeking AI
Date: 29 April 2025, 14:00 - 16:00
Speaker s: Professor Philipp Koralus (University of Oxford), Mr Brendan McCord (Cosmos Institute, St Catherine's College (Oxford))
Venue: St Catherine's College, Manor Road OX1 3UJ
Venue Details: Top floor, Porter’s Lodge, St. Catherine’s College, Manor Rd, Oxford OX1 3UJ
Organiser: Professor Philipp Koralus (University of Oxford)
Hosts: TBA

Tuesday 6 May 2025

Philosophy, AI, and Innovation Seminar: The Inquiry Complex
Date: 6 May 2025, 14:00 - 16:00
Speaker : Professor Philipp Koralus (University of Oxford)
Venue: St Catherine's College, Manor Road OX1 3UJ
Venue Details: Top floor, Porter’s Lodge, St. Catherine’s College, Manor Rd, Oxford OX1 3UJ
Organiser: Professor Philipp Koralus (University of Oxford)
Host: Dr Philipp Koralus (Philosophy, Oxford)

Tuesday 13 May 2025

Philosophy, AI, and Innovation Seminar: Privacy and the Future of AI
Date: 13 May 2025, 14:00 - 16:00
Speaker s: Professor Helen Nissenbaum (Cornell), Carina Peng (Apple)
Venue: St Catherine's College, Manor Road OX1 3UJ
Venue Details: Top floor, Porter’s Lodge, St. Catherine’s College, Manor Rd, Oxford OX1 3UJ
Organiser: Dr Philipp Koralus (Philosophy, Oxford)
Hosts: TBA

Tuesday 20 May 2025

Philosophy, AI, and Innovation Seminar: Decentralization in Science & AI
Date: 20 May 2025, 14:00 - 16:00
Speaker : Vincent Weisser (Prime Intellect)
Venue: St Catherine's College, Manor Road OX1 3UJ
Venue Details: Top floor, Porter’s Lodge, St. Catherine’s College, Manor Rd, Oxford OX1 3UJ
Organiser: Professor Philipp Koralus (University of Oxford)
Host: Professor Philipp Koralus (University of Oxford)

Tuesday 27 May 2025

Philosophy, AI, and Innovation Seminar: Collective Intelligence
Date: 27 May 2025, 14:00 - 16:00
Speaker : Ivan Vendrov (Midjourney)
Venue: St Catherine's College, Manor Road OX1 3UJ
Venue Details: Top floor, Porter’s Lodge, St. Catherine’s College, Manor Rd, Oxford OX1 3UJ
Organiser: Dr Philipp Koralus (Philosophy, Oxford)
Host: Professor Philipp Koralus (University of Oxford)

Tuesday 3 June 2025

Philosophy, AI, and Innovation Seminar: The Habermas Machine
Date: 3 June 2025, 14:00 - 15:00
Speaker s: Professor Chris Summerfield (University of Oxford), Michael Henry Tessler (Google Deepmind)
Venue: St Catherine's College, Manor Road OX1 3UJ
Venue Details: Top floor, Porter’s Lodge, St. Catherine’s College, Manor Rd, Oxford OX1 3UJ
Organiser: Dr Philipp Koralus (Philosophy, Oxford)
Host: Prof Philipp Koralus (Philosophy, Oxford)

Tuesday 10 June 2025

Philosophy, AI, and Innovation Seminar: AI and Human Autonomy
Date: 10 June 2025, 14:00 - 16:00
Speaker s: Mr Brendan McCord (Cosmos Institute, St Catherine's College (Oxford)), Dr Bethanie Drake-Maples (Stanford HAI)
Venue: St Catherine's College, Manor Road OX1 3UJ
Venue Details: Top floor, Porter’s Lodge, St. Catherine’s College, Manor Rd, Oxford OX1 3UJ
Organiser: Prof Philipp Koralus (Philosophy, Oxford)
Host: Professor Philipp Koralus (University of Oxford)

Editors: Marie Watson, Bethany McWhinnie