The Oxford Internet Institute is proud to recognise Professor Luciano Floridi, Professor of Philosophy and Ethics of Information, for a number of remarkable achievements in the past six months. In addition to his work at the Institute, Luciano has been appointed to a number of high-level government commissions and advisory groups.
Scientific Committee of AI4People
Luciano has been appointed the chair of the Scientific Committee of AI4People, Europe’s first global forum on the social impacts of artificial intelligence (AI). Launched in November 2017 with a three year roadmap, the goal of AI4People is to create a common public space for laying out the founding principles, policies and practices on which to build a “good AI society”. It is a multi-stakeholder forum, bringing together those interested in shaping the impact of new applications of AI, including the European Commission, the European Parliament, civil society organisations, industry and the media. The goals of AI4People include identifying the core values that should inform an ethical framework supporting a preferable development of AI; designing a European ethical framework for “good AI society”; and recommending actionable measures for successful implementation of the framework.
UK Parliamentary Commission on Technology Ethics
Luciano has also been appointed chair of the advisory board for the UK’s new Parliamentary Commission on Technology Ethics. The Parliamentary Commission on Technology Ethics was established by Darren Jones MP (Labour) and Lee Rowley MP (Conservative) and will work closely with Luciano. The Commission was created in the wake of events such as the Facebook–Cambridge Analytica scandal which, Mr Jones says, have ‘shone a light onto a quickly developing and powerful marketplace: a wild west with no property ownership, and a lack of regulated boundaries.’
European Union Commission High-Level Expert Group on Artificial Intelligence.
Luciano has been appointed as member of the European Commission’s High-Level Expert Group on Artificial Intelligence. Following an open selection process, the Commission has appointed 52 experts to the Group, comprising representatives from academia, civil society, and industry. The Group will have as a general objective to support the implementation of the European strategy on artificial intelligence (AI). This will include the elaboration of recommendations on future AI-related policy development and on ethical, legal and societal issues related to AI, including socio-economic challenges.
In addition to these appointments, Luciano’s work has also been recognised by two prestigious awards.
IBM 2018 Thinker Award
Luciano has been awarded the 2018 Thinker Award from IBM in conjunction with IBM’s thinkMagazine. He has received the award in recognition of his research in digital ethics. Afterwards he thanked IBM for the award and said that he was ‘honoured and truly delighted’. At the award ceremony Professor Floridi spoke of the importance of continued collaboration between technology and ethics. You can view the award ceremony on YouTube, with Professor Floridi’s award for ethics starting around an hour and 11 minutes into the recording.
Premio alla Conoscenza 2018
Luciano was awarded the Premio alla Conoscenza, which translates as ‘Knowledge Award’, the most celebrated scientific prize within Italy’s university system. It is made by the Italian Association of University Rectors (CRUI), Italy’s equivalent to the UK’s Vice-Chancellors. Luciano was awarded Luciano wrote on Twitter that he was ‘deeply honoured’ to receive the award, which he will collect at a ceremony at the Palazzo Garzolini di Toppo Wassermann in Udine on 27 June. He will give his lectio magistralis at the ceremony, discussing ‘The Future of Democracy in the Digital Age’.
Congratulations to Luciano for his amazing work!
Some text appeared in its original form on the Exeter College, Oxford website. Photo by Tim Muntinga.
