We are about half way into the Fall semester, which calls for an update from The Center for Digital Welfare. In this edition of the newsletter, you can catch up on:

• Short news from the Center for Digital Welfare
• New publications, press releases, past and upcoming events & activities
• Exploring the Impact of Artificial Intelligence in the Municipality of Copenhagen - a new research project collaboration with the Center for Digital Welfare

We suggest you fetch a coffee/tea, lean back and enjoy the read!
 
Sincerely,
Irina & Line

On August 16-18, Gitte Bang Stald and Lisbeth Klastrup participated in the NordMedia conference in Bergen presenting their paper "The potentials and pitfalls of TikTok: Young Danes’ use of social media in the 2022 Danish general elections". | On August 23, CDW was visited by a research delegation from The Korean Foundation for People with Disabilities from South Korea | On August 31, CDW hosted the first working group meeting of the semester in the Digital Citizenship working group on Representation, Design, Accessibility & User-journeys. | On September 19, CDW welcomed Rosie Collington, PhD Fellow, as part of our Distinguished Speakers Series, who gave a guest lecture on her newest book titled "The Big Con: How the Consulting Industry Weakens our Businesses, Infantilizes our Governments and Warps our Economies". | On September 22, we launched the CDW Student Group, consisting of a group of ITU students, who will help us bring students and researchers closer together and promote digital welfare for the coming generations. We are happy to have them on board!

The Department of Technology and Environment is embarking on a new research project investigating the effects on efficiency, job satisfaction, and credibility when a municipality employs artificial intelligence. This endeavor is in collaboration with the IT University of Copenhagen Center for Digital Welfare.

Currently, the Communication Department of the Technology and Environment Department is in the process of testing various computer robots and a chatbot to gain valuable insights into the advantages and risks of utilizing artificial intelligence in public communication. This effort is being carried out in partnership with the IT University under the auspice of researchers Sanna-Maria Marttila, Sunniva Sandbukt, and Louise Harder Fischer.
The administration aims to assess if artificial intelligence can enhance efficiency without compromising job satisfaction and credibility. In the coming months, the communication personnel of the administration will be incorporating artificial intelligence, including ChatGPT, for tasks such as research and idea development.

"As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly prevalent, we must grapple with its implications. Before we entrust a robot with writing letters to the citizens of Copenhagen, we need to understand its impact on job satisfaction and credibility, and whether it truly streamlines our work. We must first address the ethical, security, and human aspects, and this is precisely what we are testing in collaboration with the IT University," explains Martin Lassen-Vernal, Communications Director at the Technology and Environment Department of the City of Copenhagen and initiator of the project.

The objective is to establish frameworks and guidelines for the use of artificial intelligence, along with a methodology to determine when it is appropriate to seek assistance from the robots.

The Communication Department will scrutinize the feasibility of employing artificial intelligence in informational campaigns, communication to Copenhageners, and within the administration itself. This will involve assessing if artificial intelligence can enhance the city's websites, making it easier for Copenhageners to find what they're looking for. Additionally, chatbots will be deployed to evaluate the effectiveness of a campaign before its city-wide rollout. The administration will also examine if artificial intelligence can facilitate the accessibility of texts for individuals with disabilities.
At the Center for Digital Welfare at the IT University of Copenhagen, researchers are delving into the impact on well-being when artificial intelligence is introduced into a workplace. They stand by as the Communication Department of the Technology and Environment Department explores the possibilities and challenges associated with implementing artificial intelligence and robots in public communication.

"Artificial intelligence should not overshadow human involvement, and it is crucial that work remains meaningful even when robots lend a helping hand. Therefore, I am pleased that we have the opportunity to follow the administration's project from its inception, allowing us to gain insights into how introducing artificial intelligence affects a group of employees. This insight will hopefully lead to the development of a set of guidelines for the use of artificial intelligence that ensures employees find it meaningful," states Louise Harder Fischer, lecturer at the IT University of Copenhagen and head of The Future of Work and Well-being working group, where the project is anchored. The research team consists of ITU researchers Sanna-Maria Marttila, Sunniva Sandbukt, and Louise Harder Fischer.

To ensure a multi-faceted understanding, the project methodology encompasses a gamut of strategies. Preliminary engagements in August involved three distinct group and departmental consultations, supplemented by in-depth interviews with 16 personnel. September witnessed rigorous observational studies, paving the way for an analytical phase in October. As a testament to the commitment to collaborative inquiry, November is earmarked for a series of co-creative workshops. Here, the project team aims to coalesce findings and insights to formulate sociotechnical design principles tailored for AI-mediated operational tasks.

During the testing phase, the administration will provide notification if a text has been generated with the assistance of artificial intelligence.

Disclaimer: This text was written with the assistance of AI. The original text, a press release from the Municipality of Copenhagen, was adapted and translated using ChatGPT.

The Fall activities of the center are rolling out and soon the first expedition in the working group Future of Work & Well-being will be exploring "The Future of Work is LiFE" as it is practiced in KOMBIT A/S. The Agile State working group will be visiting Digital Hub Denmark on October 13, investigating Danish digitalization globally, on how Danish digitalization is presented and performed internationally. On November 10, The Agile State will present a seminar on ”Nordic Exceptionalism in Digitalization". On November 16, CDW will be launching our first Center for Digital Welfare Masterclass, where academics and practioners alike will be given the opportunity to collaborate on global issues within IT. The first masterclass is titled "Global Concept of IT Governance", facilitated by Ass. Prof. Cancan Wang. On November 17, we are very excited to welcome Professor Mikkel Flyverbom, as our next distinguished speaker in our CDW Distinguished Speakers Series. On December 6, the Future of Work & Well-being  will assemble for a christmas edition working group meeting. December 7, the Digital Citizenship working group is inviting members to the next meeting on "Generative AI & Representation" and the CDW is ending the semester with a CDW Christmas Event on December 14, inviting all members to celebrate and discuss digital welfare across research and practice (more info to come)! As a new activity, we have launched a collaboration between CDW researchers and practioners to co-write a featured column in ING.dk/Radar on current issues within digital welfare. You can read the first column by CDW researcher, Gitte Bang Stald, and CDW member, Tomas Vlk from Kritik Digital, above or on ING.dk/Radar. If you are a CDW member and would like to contribute with an opinion column, please reach out to Strategic Project Manager, Line Johansen, on liny@itu.dk.  

As always, we will continue with our collaborative member activities in our respective working groups over the Fall semester. If you are a member of the Center for Digital Welfare, you have already or will receive an invitation for these activities in your inbox shortly. If you would like to learn more about how to become a member, please find more information on our website or reach out to Strategic Project Manager, Line Johansen, at liny@itu.dk. 

Amelung, N. & Galis, V. (2023): Border control technologies: Introduction. Science as Culture, Vol 32 (3), pp. 323-343. Link to publication here. 

Makrygianni, V. & Galis, V. (2023): Practices of radical digital care: towards autonomous queer migration. Science as Culture, Vol 32 (3), pp. 387-410. Link to publication here.

Segal, R. & Jah, M. (2023, July, 10): Design & Solidarity. In: Commoning Design & Designing Commons (podcast). By Interest Group on Commons and Commoning, ITU Copenhagen (DK). Spotify for Podcasters. Link to podcast here.

Galis, V. (2023): Digitalising law enforcement: A critical guide from the Nordic-Baltic countries and the UK, "Fast Track to Vision 2030" policy brief, Nordforsk. Link to publication here.

Gad, C. (2023): Trusting elections: complexities and risks of digital voting in Denmark. Journal of Cultural Economy, pp.1-18. Link to publication here.

Article in ING.dk/Radar with Ass. Prof., Louise Harder Fischer

Article in Science Report by Head of Center, Irina Papazu

Article in Danskindustri.dk with Ass. Prof. Louise Harder Fischer 

Article in vpt.dk with post.doc. Søren Skaarup

Column in ING.dk/Radar by Ass. Prof. Gitte Stald & CDW member, Tomas Vlk

Article in Finans.dk by Head of Center, Irina Papazu & Ass. Prof. Jessamy Perriam

Article in SN.dk with Ass. Prof. Louise Harder Fischer

Date: November 15, 2023, 12:00-5:30 PM
Venue: Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby 

CDW researchers and members are amoungst the organizers and contributors.

Date: November 8-9 
Venue: Øksnehallen, Copenhagen V

CDW and affiliated researchers will be represented in the program. 

Date: January 29-30, 2023
Venue: IT University of Copenhagen

CDW researchers are part of the organizing committee.

We are working on improving the accessibility of our newsletter. If you run into any issues while browsing the newsletter, or you have suggestions to make it more enjoyable, reach out to Strategic Project Manager, Line Johansen, at liny@itu.dk

Irina Papazu | Line Nykjær Johansen

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