AI, Communication & Democracy Lab

The AI, Communication & Democracy Lab focuses on how AI and technologies are transforming communication and democracy. The researchers will tackle specific issues surrounding the use of AI and technologies, such as ways to improve government and citizens' communication. In addition, they and the various partners in the lab will think about what tomorrow's communication should look like. To this end, the lab will bring together fundamental and applied research in law, ethics, communication science, political studies and computer science.

The communication between government and citizens is a central issue, for citizenship and democracy. Citizens expect, more and more, to receive relevant information in a timely manner. They also expect to participate, to be heard and that their opinions and interests are taken into consideration, in political decision-making processes. Public institutions, on the other side, are spending a great deal of effort and resources to communicate with citizens in ever more effective ways.

It is expected that the lab will contribute to improve the communication between citizens and government, increasing citizen return resulting from public sector communication. Public institutions can aim, this way, to communicate more effectively and accurately with citizens, in the case of general information about policies, practices, and procedures, or of specific questions. Moreover, it is also intended to increase the level of citizen engagement, contributing to bring decision-making processes closer to citizen’s needs and expectations.

Goals

• Research on AI and algorithms affect the role, impact and regulation of information and communication.
• Improve communication between government and citizens.
• Combine practice and theory.
• Contributing to bring decision-making processes closer to citizen’s needs and expectations.
• Foster government transparency.
• Increase citizen trust towards transparency.
• Develop transparent AI solutions
• Identify the Gap in using AI technologies

• Anastasiadou, M., Santos, V. and Montargil, F. (2021), “Which technology to which challenge in democratic governance? An approach using design science research", Transforming Government: People, Process and Policy. (ISSN: 1750-6166) https://doi.org/10.1108/TG-03-2020-0045

• Naranjo-Zolotov, M., Turel, O., Oliveira, T., & Lascano, J. E. (2021), “Drivers of online social media addiction in the context of public unrest: A sense of virtual community perspective", Computers in Human Behavior, 121, 106784.(ISSN: 0747-5632) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2021.106784

• P. Castro. "Three Limitations of Algorithmic Reason: Steering the Human Mind in the Twenty First Century". Paper presented in 3rd European Conference on the Impact of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics ECIAIR 2021, Lisbon, 2021.

• Wiziack, J. C., & dos Santos, V. M. P. D. (2021), “Evaluating an integrated cognitive competencies model to enhance teachers’ application of technology in large-scale educational contexts", Heliyon, 7(1). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e05928

• Montargil, Filipe, Branco Di Fátima e Cristian Ruiz. (2020), “Building a Web Tracking Browser Information System: The Online Panel as a Research Method in Internet Studies”, in Álvaro Rocha et al. (Eds), Information Technology and Systems. ICITS 2020. Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing, vol 1137. Cham (Suíça): Springer, pp. 449-455. (ISBN:978-3-030-40690-5) https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-40690-5_44

• Castro, Paulo. "Lying, computers and self-awareness". Kairos. Journal of Philosophy & Science 24 1 (2020): 10-34. http://dx.doi.org/10.2478/kjps-2020-0009

• Santos, C., Santos, V., Tavares, A., & Varajão, J. (2020), “Project management in public health: a systematic literature review on success criteria and factors", Portuguese Journal of Public Health, 38(1), 37-48. https://doi.org/10.1159/000509531

• Silveira, C., Reis, L., Santos, V., & Mamede, H. S. (2020), “Creativity in prototypes design and sustainability: The case of social organizations", Advances in Science, Technology and Engineering Systems, 5(6), 1237-1243. https://doi.org/10.25046/AJ0506147

• Coelho, S. C. A., & Santos, V. (2019), “Referencial de utilização das tecnologias de informação para a melhoria da qualidade de vida nas Smart Cities”, PROELIUM – Revista da Academia Militar, 8(2), 59-82.

• Di Fátima, Branco, Filipe Montargil e Sandra Miranda. (2019), “Estudando os comportamentos online: Premissas e desafios no desenvolvimento de um painel de utilizadores da Internet”, in Texto Livre: Linguagem e Tecnologia, Vol. 12, n.º 1. Belo Horizonte: Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, pp. 123-137. (ISSN 1983-3652) http://dx.doi.org/10.17851/1983-3652.12.1.123-137

• Evans, A. M., Verga Matos, P., & Santos, V. (2019), “The state as a large-scale aggregator: statist neoliberalism and waste management in Portugal”, Contemporary Politics, 25(3), 353-372. https://doi.org/10.1080/13569775.2018.1555784

• Montargil, Filipe, Branco Di Fátima, Vitor Rodrigues e Vitor Santos. (2019), “Medir a Sociedade de Informação: Sistema para um painel online de utilizadores da Internet” in CISTI (Org.), 14th Iberian Conference on Information Systems and Technologies (CISTI). S/l: Associação Ibérica de Sistemas e Tecnologias de Informação (AISTI). (ISBN: 978-989-98434-9-3) https://doi.org/10.23919/CISTI.2019.8760838

• Naranjo-Zolotov, M., Oliveira, T., & Casteleyn, S. (2019), “Citizens’ intention to use and recommend e-participation: Drawing upon UTAUT and citizen empowerment”, Information Technology & People. (ISSN: 0959-3845) https://doi.org/10.1108/ITP-08-2017-0257

• Naranjo-Zolotov, M., Oliveira, T., Cruz-Jesus, F., Martins, J., Gonçalves, R., Branco, F., & Xavier, N. (2019), “Examining social capital and individual motivators to explain the adoption of online citizen participation”, Future Generation Computer Systems, 92, 302-311(ISSN: 0167-739X) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.future.2018.09.044

• Naranjo-Zolotov, M., Oliveira, T., Casteleyn, S., & Irani, Z. (2019), “Continuous usage of e-participation: The role of the sense of virtual community”, Government information quarterly, 36(3), 536-545 (ISSN: 0740-624X) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.giq.2019.05.009

• Pires, Patrícia, Filipe Montargil e Cátia Mendonça. (2019), “Communication in IT adoption: The use of infographics in the case of Citizen Observatories” in APSI (Org.), Atas da 19ª Conferência da Associação Portuguesa de Sistemas de Informação (CAPSI). Lisboa: APSI – Associação Portuguesa de Sistemas de Informação. https://aisel.aisnet.org/capsi2019/25/

• Wiziack, J. C., & Santos, V. D. D. (2019), “Pedagogia transformadora e o reaprender nas humanidades digitais”, RISTI - Revista Iberica de Sistemas e Tecnologias de Informacao, (E17), 610-625.

Our projects are clustered around 9 different themes

• Acceptance and adoption of AI, psychological and sociological consequences of technology spread.

  Information Systems Management with specialization in Data-driven Marketing:
  Artificial Intelligence and its adoption by employees and consumers, as well as the fight against unemployment caused by the spread of automation and the consequences of the COVID pandemic, University of Nova Information Management School (Nova IMS), Lisbon, Portugal.

• Artificial Intelligence to facilitate citizen participation.

  Information Management:
  Research on the adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is growing in various areas as education, health, or transport, both in private and public sector. However, one area in the public sector on which research on AI is lacking development is on public (citizen) participation. Citizen participation (online and offline) refers to "the process of engaging citizens through ICTs in policy and decision-making in order to make public administration participatory, inclusive, collaborative and deliberative for intrinsic and instrumental ends" (United Nations, 2014). The idea of this topic is to build a theoretical framework to understand the use of AI to facilitate citizen participation. Note: Diverse approaches can be used to address this topic: Quantitative, Qualitative (interviews), literature review, or case studies, University of Nova Information Management School (Nova IMS), Lisbon, Portugal.

• Bring the citizens closer to their governments through Chatbots.

  Data Science and Business Analytics with specialization in Business Analytics:
  Develop and explore Artificial Intelligence strategies to connect government and citizens to make the communication between them faster, simpler and more effective, University of Nova Information Management School (Nova IMS), Lisbon, Portugal.

• Democratizing Access to Cultural Assets in Developing Countries and Critical Contexts.

  Information Management with a specialization in Marketing Intelligence:
  Explore the importance and value of cultural democratization projects and tools in developing countries and critical contexts. Aiming at the design and development of an inclusive framework to aid decision-makers and policymakers in cultural democratization projects, University of Nova Information Management School (Nova IMS), Lisbon, Portugal.

• Drivers of AI adoption and implementation in local governments.

  Information Management:
  The exponentially increasing amounts of data have created ideal scenarios for the use of AI. Many national and local governmental initiatives are already harnessing the power of Artificial Intelligence (AI). However, little research on the topic is addressing the challenges and opportunities of the AI implementation governments. This goal of this research is to identity and describe in detail the challenges, barriers, and drivers of AI adoption and implementation in local governments. Note: Diverse approaches can be used to address this topic: Quantitative, Qualitative (interviews), literature review, or case studies, University of Nova Information Management School (Nova IMS), Lisbon, Portugal.

• Government Augmented Intelligence - The Use of AI to Improve Citizen Relationship Management.

  Information Systems Management with specialization in Knowledge Management and Business Intelligence:
  Explore how AI can be used to optimise public sector innovation, efficiency, and productivity, while fostering civic participation, by addressing and presenting the potential applications of AI within the public services, University of Nova Information Management School (Nova IMS), Lisbon, Portugal.

• Proposing a LOSI scale that assess the use of AI in local governments.

  Information Management:
  The LOSI (Local Online Services Index) is a scale used by the United Nations to assess the level of development of online services provided by local governments around the world. However, the scale does not takes into account the increasing use of disruptive technologies in local governments, as for instance Artificial Intelligence (AI). In a world with highly digitized citizens, the adoption of AI in local governments will cause a big impact on the society. The main idea of this research study is to propose and evaluate an "upgraded" version of the LOSI scale. The evaluation of the scale can be done visiting the governments websites of Portuguese cities or other countries. Note: Desk research approach, University of Nova Information Management School (Nova IMS), Lisbon, Portugal.

• The dark side of AI use in e-government.

  Information Management:
  The application of AI raises several ethical questions on autonomous machines and how these machines may have a negative impact on the human jobs. Considering the potential dark side of AI, key ethical principles in AI need to be studied and implemented. This research want to contribute to shed light on the ethical foundations of AI use in the public sector, especially in government. Note: Diverse approaches can be used to address this topic: Quantitative, Qualitative (interviews), literature review, or case studies, University of Nova Information Management School (Nova IMS), Lisbon, Portugal.

• The Use of AI in Application Interfaces: Determinants of User Trust.

  Audiovisual and Multimedia:
  Characterize and discuss application interfaces, focused on concepts such as application interfaces and affective computing. Debate and understand which factors influence users' perception of trust and transparency when adapted to AI, School of Social Communication, of the Polytechnic Institute of Lisbon, Portugal.

• Philosophy of Artificial Intelligence

  Ethics of AI, ontology of algorithmic thought:
  The limitations and social impact of what we call algorithmic reason, both as a computational technique and an ideology, implemented in present culture. We also interested in the epistemology of AI, namely in the relation between algorithmic thought and mind and in the possibility of a comprehensive and complete theoretical description of AI to achieve consciousness in non-human agents.

6th of May 14:30h - 18:00h

Seminário de Inteligência Artificial e Democracia

A influência da inteligência artificial e das tecnologias nas relações entre os cidadãos e os governos e, consequentemente, o seu impacto na democracia são o mote para o seminário “Inteligência Artificial e Democracia”, promovido pela Câmara Municipal de Alcochete em parceria com a Universidade Nova de Lisboa, a Escola Superior de Comunicação Social e com o apoio do Omaggio e da Praia do Sal. Os palestrantes abordarão questões relacionadas com uso das tecnologias de inteligência artificial (IA) enquanto formas de melhorar a interação dos governos com os cidadãos, mas também com o potencial de as prejudicarem, nomeadamente, no sentido de possibilitarem um maior controlo e vigilância por parte de regimes autoritários. Além disso, o seminário pretende também discutir o futuro: Que desafios se apresentam em termos da pesquisa fundamental e aplicada da utilização de IA em direito, ética, ciência da comunicação, estudos políticos e ciência da computação?


Informação adicional

Horário: 14:30h - 18:00h
Preço: Gratuito
Event Link: https://www.cm-alcochete.pt/visitar/o-que-fazer/agenda-de-eventos/evento/inteligencia-artificial-e-democracia
Público: Geral
Informações: Gabinete de Apoio ao Empresário e Empreendedorismo | gaee@cm-alcochete.pt | 212 348 600/1


• Podcast Episode: AI e Democracia (Convidado Filipe Montargil) Building The Future - AI Portugal Podcast

  https://open.spotify.com/episode/4WWpexOKcG0UuoHCDlAskL

With the aim of creating value, visibility and promoting the adhesion of new members in a group that is still taking its first steps in terms of its role in society and academia, we will put into practice the following lines of action.

Actions to be developed:

• Promote reflection on an explicit definition of responsibility for Artificial Intelligence and Democracy, converging on its regulation. This definition is intrinsically related to the group's identity and is a key factor in society's recognition and trust in our work.
• Make formal proposals of research topics for MSc and PhD students in the adequate forums.
• Forster the scientific publications in AI & Democracy.
• Promotion of monthly meetings focused on the presentation of the research work carried out by the members, guests or /and on the discussion of relevant scientific articles.
• Launch of commissions and working groups for the development and submission of applications for research support funds, as well as commissions to discuss technical thematic areas and other aspects related to the group's intervention area.
• Organization of the AI & Democracy Seminar, which will aim to bring together the most diverse associations, public entities, academia to discuss relevant and current topics related with Artificial Intelligence and Democracy such as the Trust, Privacy & Data Protection, Surveillance, Algorithms (ML), Social media and Communications, Transparency, Fairness and Ethics.
• Organization of a Summer School on Artificial Intelligence and Democracy.
• Identification of national and international communities with concerns similar to ours in order to better understand the current panorama of research in AI & Democracy. Establishing closer cooperation with different higher education institutions. Among other measures, the intention is to formalize a person who will serve as a contact link, support for student groups, articulation in the organization of activities, participation in competitions for funding, or other measures such as the dissemination of information.
• Create dialogue channels with national or international schools, public entities, business organizations and sector authorities to promote Artificial Intelligence and Democracy area.
• Invest in greater visibility of the group in the media with interventions on matters of public interest, as well as maintain an active presence in the official media with topics proposed by the members.