Funding for research clusters in AI to understand AI’s societal impact

WASP-HS is a national research programme. The idea behind WASP-HS is to promote the acquisition of new, interdisciplinary knowledge in the humanities and social sciences concerning AI and autonomous systems and their impact on human and social development.

The research clusters aim to advance our understanding of the impact that AI is having on humanity and society.

Two of the clusters led from Uppsala University

The two research clusters to be led by Uppsala University are outlined below.

AI Futures of Culture and Memory, which will explore AI’s transformative impact on human culture and collective memory. Its aim is to advance the arts, humanities, and social sciences by integrating diverse perspectives to create humane, inclusive, and sustainable AI systems. The cluster will be led by Anna Foka, Professor at the Department of ALM.

“The cluster will address challenges such as social and environmental sustainability, ethics and humanity in AI integration. By exploring the impact of AI on cultural representation and authorship, it promotes diversity, inclusion and cultural sensitivity. The cluster's emphasis on participatory approaches and stakeholder engagement ensures that diverse perspectives are consiered, contributing to a more transparent and accountable AI ecosystem. Finally, the cluster will play a crucial role in shaping the public discourse around AI, fostering trust and aligning AI developments with societal values and needs,” says Anna Foka.

AI, Structural Change, and the Future of Work will investigate the effects of AI and related technologies on the labour market focusing on inequality, demand for labour, the risks of unemployment, job satisfaction, and occupational segregation. The cluster will be led by Oskar Nordström Skans, Professor at the Department of Economics.

“We will conduct empirical studies of how the labour market is changing as a result of the use of  AI and other technological innovations. We’ll be analysing how employees are affected when some of their tasks are automated as well as how they are affected when various recruitment and HR functions become AI-based. In addition, we are studying how the advent of AI is changing how we ought to be shaping different forms of retraining and transitioning functions in society,” says Oskar Nordström Skans.

Participating in the other clusters too

Researchers from Humanities and Social Sciences are also participating in the other three research clusters outlined below.

AI, Power, and Politics. This cluster will investigate AI’s impact on the political sphere, focusing on information ecosystems, governance, and international power dynamics. The cluster will be led by Umeå University.

The AI Welfare State. This cluster will examine the vulnerabilities that AI introduces into welfare systems such as false information, dependence on foreign infrastructures, welfare fraud, breaches of privacy, and bias in decision-making. The cluster will be led by Sodertörn University.

The Rule of AI — AI, Regulation, and Society. This cluster is examining both how AI is regulated and how AI is changing regulatory processes. The aim is to understand the dynamics shaping the governance of AI and the role of AI in compliance and in policy implementation. The cluster will be led by Örebro University.

In total, the five clusters will receive funding in the amount of just over SEK 142 million over the next five years.

Anders Berndt