AI

Shifting AI ethics from high-level principles to socio-political context

Fri, 26 Mar 2021 14:08:00 GMT

Ethical principles alone are poorly equipped to engage with and address the impacts of artificial intelligence (AI). Whether it be material impacts or the generation of socio-political issues, high-level ethical principles don’t always offer the tools needed to address them. In a recent Open Research Europe paper, SIENNA’s Anaïs Resseguier and Rowena Rodrigues advocate for AI ethics that pays attention to context.

Joint SIENNA/SHERPA/HBP webinar 30 March: Trust and Transparency in Artificial Intelligence

Sat, 20 Mar 2021 10:04:00 GMT

Trust and transparency in artificial intelligence (AI) are hotly debated themes and central to the responsible governance of this expanding technology field. The Ethics and Society Subproject of the Human Brain Project (HBP) has developed an Opinion to further the debate on key ethical and social issues that arise from the use of AI. It draws on findings from social science and humanities research, including a series of consultancies, webinars and workshops with citizens, scientists, policy makers and other stakeholders.

What a well-regulated AI and robotics world would look like

Wed, 17 Mar 2021 13:36:00 GMT

In the SIENNA Final Conference on 11 March 2021, we facilitated a session on AI and robotics: regulatory and policy recommendatiions. The session was led by Rowena Rodrigues form Trilateral Research and covered SIENNA legal analysis work for AI and robotics and our recommendations. SIENNA’s objective in its legal analysis work and recommendations is to support and ensure ethical and human-rights respectful design, development, deployment and use of AI and robotics technologies. During the session, we asked our audience to share their views live with us on two questions. Curious about the results?

Enhancing EU legal frameworks for AI & robotics: SIENNA project Policy Brief #1

Mon, 21 Dec 2020 09:16:00 GMT

In practice, existing EU legal frameworks like human rights, data protection, product liability and safety, are fully applicable and should be able to cope with the challenges posed by AI and robotics, and other emerging technologies. SIENNA has identified various gaps and challenges that must be addressed. In our first policy brief, we list some of the urgent actions required and make recommendations for European Union institutions.

Ethical framework for artificial intelligence and robotics

Thu, 17 Dec 2020 08:46:00 GMT

In the past couple of years many national and international organisations issued ethics guidelines for artificial intelligence (AI). But the efforts to address ethical issues in AI in other ways have not reached the same prominence. In the SIENNA project, we have developed an ethical framework for AI and robotics that rests on a multistakeholder strategy that moves far beyond ethical guidelines.

Protecting the vulnerable from AI harms

Thu, 10 Dec 2020 14:03:00 GMT

Applications that use artificial Intelligence are trained on large sets of data and often build on other systems. This means that any bias in the data can multiply across different AI applications and cause significant harms. A recent paper from SIENNA points to the legal and human rights implications of AI and calls for an agile approach, not just to AI development, but also to the laws that regulate technology. In her paper, Rowena Rodrigues issues a call to developers and legislators to pay attention to the impact of AI on vulnerable populations.

SIENNA responds to public consultation on children's rights in digital environments

Tue, 24 Nov 2020 11:27:00 GMT

On 13 November 2020, we submitted our response to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child (the Committee) draft General Comment No. 25 on children’s rights in relation to the digital environment. Our key recommendation is to address children’s rights in relation to all digital technologies. Additional recommendations include adopting stronger ‘red lines’ on digital technologies that impact children, calling for AI that respects children’s rights, and addressing concerns related to digital inequality.

SIENNA response to the public consultation on UNICEF’s draft Policy Guidance on AI for Children

Mon, 16 Nov 2020 08:00:00 GMT

On 16 October 2020, the SIENNA project submitted its response to the UNICEF public consultation on draft Policy Guidance on AI for children. Our key recommendations were to address concerns related to “digital inequality”, call for AI that respects human rights, and adopt a stronger stance on problematic technologies.

SIENNA response to the French Committee for Digital Ethics public consultation on the ethics of conversational agents

Thu, 12 Nov 2020 12:51:00 GMT

On 30 October 2020, the SIENNA project submitted its response to the French National Pilot Committee for Digital Ethics (CNPEN) public consultation on the ethics of conversational agents, what is more commonly known as 'chatbots'. Our key recommendations were to reduce the anthropomorphisation of chatbots and conduct impact assessments to identify risks and harms.

People prefer robots that look different from them

Thu, 15 Oct 2020 09:01:00 GMT

Robots and artificial intelligence have caught the public’s imagination. A survey of public attitudes to these technologies in eleven countries shows that people feel uncomfortable with robots that look and behave like humans. A study from the SIENNA project shows that people expect both society and their lives to change as a result of increased use of artificial intelligence and robotics. And they expect inequalities in society to increase with it.

SIENNA submits response to the public consultation on the European Commission Inception Impact Assessment for regulation of Artificial Intelligence

Wed, 16 Sep 2020 10:28:00 GMT

On 10 September 2020, the SIENNA project submitted its response to the European Commission public consultation on the Inception Impact Assessment for a regulation of artificial intelligence. Our key recommendation was to adopt an EU-level legislative instrument establishing mandatory requirements, complemented by a voluntary labeling scheme.

Ethics as renewed clarity about new situations

Wed, 26 Aug 2020 09:47:00 GMT

Artificial intelligence is developing faster than the ethical frameworks that regulate it. This requires AI ethics that can to adapt to the new and unexpected. Today, the Ethics Blog writes about a call by SIENNA researchers Anaîs Rességuier and Rowena Rodrigues to move from a legal notion of ethics to one that can adapt to new situations.

Toothless ethics is an obstacle for the ethics of Artificial Intelligence

Thu, 06 Aug 2020 08:51:00 GMT

Ethics has powerful teeth that are not used in the ethics of AI today. In a recently published paper in Big Data & Society, SIENNA’s Anaïs Resseguier and Rowena Rodrigues describe how the teeth of AI ethics are lost with the current “law conception of ethics”.

SIENNA submits response the UNESCO Online Consultation: Ethics of Artificial Intelligence

Wed, 05 Aug 2020 11:24:00 GMT

On 30 July 2020, SIENNA project submitted its response to the UNESCO Online Consultation on Ethics of Artificial Intelligence. We suggest bringing human rights to the fore and focusing on ethical principles that relate to the interaction between AI systems and their environment, including human beings.

SIENNA submits response the public consultation on the European Commission White Paper on AI

Mon, 22 Jun 2020 10:49:00 GMT

On 13 June 2020, SIENNA project submitted its response to the European Commission public consultation on the White Paper on AI. Our key recommendation was to change the focus of the proposed regulatory framework. Instead of aiming at building consumers’ and businesses’ trust in AI in order to speed up the uptake of the technology, the objectives of the framework should be driven by fundamental rights and societal values.

Webinar 1 July: Ethical analysis of AI & Robotics

Wed, 17 Jun 2020 12:59:00 GMT

The SIENNA project recently published its key report “Ethical Analysis of AI and Robotics Technologies”. This 223 page report provides the most comprehensive and up to date overview of ethical issues in AI and robotics available today. Philip Brey, SIENNA coordinator will present the highlights in an open webinar on 1 July at 13:00 CEST!

SIENNA and SHERPA provide feedback on JURI report on a framework of ethical aspects of artificial intelligence, robotics and related technologies

Wed, 10 Jun 2020 06:26:00 GMT

On 22 May 2020, SIENNA and SHERPA projects, jointly provided feedback on the European Parliament Committee on Legal Affairs Draft report with recommendations to the Commission on a framework of ethical aspects of artificial intelligence, robotics and related technologies (2020/2012(INL) based on the findings and results of the SHERPA and SIENNA EU-funded projects.

Legal requirements for artificial intelligence and robotics

Mon, 01 Jun 2020 09:02:00 GMT

The SIENNA project has documented and delivered a critical assessment of the legal requirements in relation to the use of artificial intelligence and robotics on the national, EU and international level. In the report, we identify the relevant international and regional law and discuss a range of legal and human rights issues. If you want an analysis of EU law and international and regional legal orders in relation to artificial intelligence and robotics, we suggest you download our report!

Research ethics codes and guidelines for artificial intelligence and robotics

Thu, 21 May 2020 15:29:00 GMT

The SIENNA project conducted a survey of research ethics committee approaches and codes for artificial intelligence and robotics. The survey was submitted to the European Commission in 2018, and lists a large body of codes and guidelines. We have now published the full report, and give you selection of guidelines that you might want to be aware of.

AI and robotics adverse impacts – how resilient or vulnerable are we?

Thu, 27 Feb 2020 14:42:00 GMT

Individuals and society benefit from advances in human genomics, human enhancement, AI and robotics technologies. But these technologies present ethical challenges and have the potential to challenge our values, way of living and adversely affect human rights.

US White House issues set of binding AI principles for agency regulators

Fri, 10 Jan 2020 10:32:00 GMT

The US White House’s Office of Science and Technology Policy has issued what they call a "first of its kind" set of principles that federal agencies have to meet when they draft AI regulations. The public will now have 60 days to comment.

SIENNA, PANELFIT and SHERPA: New video on three H2020 projects working together

Tue, 26 Nov 2019 14:22:00 GMT

New technology benefits individuals & society. It also challenges our notions of what is ethical. Three H2020 projects have joined forces to improve ethical, human rights & legal frameworks: SHERPA, PANELFIT and SIENNA. We just launched a new video to show how we explore the ethical, legal and human rights questions that information & communication technologies, big data, artificial intelligence and smart information systems raises, for example in relation to data commercialization, cybersecurity and consent.

SIENNA and SHERPA training on ethics and artificial intelligence for European Commission

Mon, 25 Nov 2019 11:03:00 GMT

On November 26, the SIENNA and SHERPA projects are invited to organize an interactive workshop for the European Unions’ different research funding schemes. The workshop is called “Ethics and Artificial Intelligence: Foreseeing the Impact and Shaping the Future” and will present findings from both projects. The focus is on the different ethical dimensions and impact of AI on the future of our society, legal- and ethical frameworks.

Into AI & robotics? SIENNA newsletter out today!

Tue, 12 Nov 2019 08:13:00 GMT

SIENNA has published a state-of-the art review on artificial intelligence and robotics. If you want to read about it, download it, and find out what else we have done in the last six months and haven't received the e-mail, you are not on our list. So go ahead and sign up to find out what we do! (or read it by clicking the link below).

State-of-the-art review of AI and robotics complete!

Mon, 11 Nov 2019 10:24:00 GMT

The SIENNA team working on ethical, legal and human rights issues of artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics have conducted a state-of-the-art review of the fields of AI and robotics. The report is now available for download! It offers a thorough analysis of the central concepts, the history, the present and expected technologies and applications of AI and robotics, as well as a socio-economic impact assessment of current and expected technologies used in both fields. The analysis is based on a thorough literature review. We also did interviews with, and received commentaries from, field experts.

Should political ads be banned on social media?

Mon, 04 Nov 2019 08:08:00 GMT

Twitter's CEO Jack Dorsay announced that Twitter is banning political advertising on their platform. In the announcement, Dorsey writes that our democratic system might not be ready for machine learning-based optimization of messaging and micro-targeting, unchecked misleading information, and deep fakes. Al Jazeera reached out to SIENNA coordinator Philip Brey to get his view on the subject.

AI and robotics from a Spanish point of view

Thu, 31 Oct 2019 07:02:00 GMT

Developments in artificial intelligence and robotics are changing societies and affecting human rights. These technologies are expected to be the greatest money makers of the 21st century. Spain cannot turn its back on the expected financial and societal gains from AI and robotics development. So writes SIENNA's Javier Valls Prieto in a Spanish language blog post in The Conversation.

#HumanAI: New UNESCO video about the ethics of AI

Mon, 26 Aug 2019 07:16:00 GMT

Following #HumanAI? Take the opportunity to find out more about the work beind the hastag! UNESCO is celebrating 25 years of ethical reflection on bioethics and the ethics of science and Technology and have recenly released a new video about the ethics of AI: “Do You Know AI? Or AI Knows you Better? – Thinking Ethics of AI”.

What happens with technical progress if we get AI ethics wrong?

Mon, 12 Aug 2019 09:51:00 GMT

Right now, many governments and regulators struggle to keep up with how new technologies like artificial intelligence is developing. In the latest issue of the EU Research and Innovation Magazine Horizon, Professor Philip Brey, coordinator of the SIENNA project, and Berdnt Stahl, coordinator of the SHERPA project, share their thoughts on how geting AI ethics wrong could ‘annihilate technical progress’.

Setting future ethical standards for ICT, Big Data, AI and robotics

Mon, 08 Jul 2019 08:41:00 GMT

Policymakers struggle to assess the ethical, legal and human rights impacts of IT systems in research, industry, and at home. At the same time, research needs to be useful for industry, academia, and society to have impact on policy. The PANELFIT, SHERPA and SIENNA projects just published an editorial in Orbit to explain how we collaborate and work together with stakeholders to improve ethical, human rights and legal frameworks for information and communication technologies (ICT), big data analytics, artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics.

Now on YouTube: SIENNA, SHERPA & PANELFIT collaboration

Thu, 04 Jul 2019 09:33:00 GMT

The SIENNA, SHERPA and PANELFIT webinar on May 20 2019 marked the start of an active European collaboration in the ethics, law and human rights of emerging digital technologies. Now you can watch it on YouTube! Learn about the projects' work on artificial intelligence (AI), big data, smart information systems (SIS), and information and communication technology (ICT) in general.

The underdog in the AI ethical and legal debate: human autonomy

Wed, 12 Jun 2019 11:38:00 GMT

Advances in AI will have serious and lasting consequences for human autonomy. But does the increasing autonomy of machines necessarily imply a decreasing human autonomy? This week, SIENNA researchers Rowena Rodrigues and Anaïs Rességuier from Trilateral Research write about the underdog of the AI ethical and legal debate on the Human Brain Project's Ethics Dialogues blog.

Call for papers: Ethics by Design

Thu, 23 May 2019 13:47:00 GMT

The SIENNA and SHERPA projects are issuing a call for papers for a track on ethics by design at the 4TU Ethics Biannual Conference entitled "The Ethics of Disruptive Technologies" at TU/Eindhoven, The Netherlands, on November 7-8, 2019. Deadline for submission extended until July 1.

Don't forget to register for the SIENNA-SHERPA-PANELFIT webinar on May 20!

Thu, 16 May 2019 12:02:00 GMT

On Monday 20 May, 2019, three Horizon 2020 projects working with the ethical, legal and human rights aspects of different IT-technologies present in a joint webinar. Find out how we will contirbute to responsible AI, big data and data sharing.

Into AI & robotics? Connect to find out what we do!

Wed, 15 May 2019 09:44:00 GMT

More and more people are interacting with robots, smart devices, intelligent software, prosthetics and implants. They are used in industry, the education system, health care, our homes, the entertainment industry and military applications. The potential benefits are abundant. However, there are considerable ethical and legal challenges. Today, the SIENNA project sent our first update to stakeholders in AI and robotics. Not on our list? Sign up to find out what we do!

Law, AI and robotics: Legal analysis complete!

Tue, 07 May 2019 11:02:00 GMT

SIENNA partners have completed their research on legal developments, issues and human rights challenges related to artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics. We have covered the legal developments on the international level and in the EU, and completed 12 country studies of the national level, looking at the relevant laws and human rights standards.

Free on May 20? Find out more about SIENNA, SHERPA and PANELFIT!

Fri, 03 May 2019 12:01:00 GMT

On May 20, 10 AM CET, the SIENNA, PANELFIT and SHERPA projects will explain what we do, where the overlaps are, and how we intend to work together to improve ethical, human rights and legal frameworks for artificial intelligence, big data, smart information systems, and ICT in general.

Harnessing existing human rights jurisprudence to guide AI

Mon, 08 Apr 2019 11:21:00 GMT

You don’t have to look too hard to become acutely aware of the potential dangerous effects of the development and use of algorithms and AI. It is already common knowledge that in the wrong or reckless hands these technologies may sway elections, lead to discrimination, and inhibit freedom of speech or access to information. It is then trite to say that algorithms and AI can pose serious challenges to individuals and the protection of their human rights.

Recap of AI & Robotics foresight workshop

Wed, 23 Jan 2019 09:55:00 GMT

On 15-16 January, the SIENNA project arranged a foresight workshop on artificial intelligence and robotics. Stakeholders and experts spent one and a half days discussing the future ethical and impacts. A short report is coming, but for anyone interested, a recap of the event is available on Twitter.

Looking for AI expertise!

Tue, 04 Dec 2018 11:50:00 GMT

Are you an expert in artificial intelligence? The SIENNA project is looking for AI experts to interview for our foresight work. What do you believe is on the horizon?

AI & Robotics: New project video

Wed, 14 Nov 2018 09:16:00 GMT

We interact with machines, robots, smart devices, intelligent software, prosthetics & implants. Robots can perform human tasks on their own, and smart devices can operate autonomously. Or connect & work together. Watch our new YouTube video to find out how SIENNA will approach these issues!

SIENNA infographic on AI and robotics

Wed, 11 Jul 2018 11:27:00 GMT

Artificial intelligence and robotics will significantly impact society, values and human rights. What will change for the better, and what will change for the worse? Which values could change and who will be most affected? SIENNA's new infographic on AI and robotics tells us what to expect.

SIENNA underscores major issues of big data and AI at SHERPA workshop

Thu, 24 May 2018 10:23:00 GMT

On 3 May 2018, the EU-funded H2020 SHERPA project organised a workshop on “AI and Big Data: Ethical and Human Rights implications” at the Press Club Brussels Europe. At the meeting, SIENNA’s coordinator Philip Brey shared insights from our ongoing research on big data and artificial intelligence.

AI ethics, foresight and ethics by design: Digital Ethics Summit

Wed, 20 Dec 2017 08:21:00 GMT

The Digital Ethics Summit held earlier this month focussed on AI ethics, foresight and ethics by design. The messages coming out of the summit are highly relevant for SIENNA. Here, SIENNA deputy coordinator Rowena Rodrigues gives an overview of the discussions.

SIENNA at Brave New World conference

Tue, 07 Nov 2017 09:49:00 GMT

How far do we want to go with human enhancement? Does Artificial Intelligence have rights? What is the future of democracy in this digital age? What do we think of helping nature with artificial evolution? These are some of the questions asked at the Brave New World conference, where SIENNA coordinator Philip Brey addressed the ethics of new technology.

Final SIENNA deliverables now available!

Mon, 07 Nov 2022 14:17:00 GMT

Want to take a look at our ethical frameworks for AI & Robotics, Human Enhancement and Genetics & Genomics? The last of the SIENNA project's reports were recently made public on Zenodo and are now available for download!

SIENNA awarded WSIS prize

Wed, 01 Jun 2022 05:04:00 GMT

SIENNA was announced a champion project at the World Summit on the Information Society prizes award ceremony on 31 May 2022. The WSIS Prizes contest was developed after requests from stakeholders to create a mechanism to evaluate projects and activities that have leveraged the power of information and communication technologies to advance sustainable development in different ways.

SIENNA policy briefs in Greek

Thu, 07 Oct 2021 11:50:00 GMT

The SIENNA project has issued a series of policy briefs that have now been translated to Greek!

Ethical governance of disruptive technologies

Fri, 26 Mar 2021 09:53:00 GMT

The European Parliament STOA panel organised a workshop on 23 March that took its point of departure from current discussion and legislative agenda in relation to artificial intelligence. Together with the SHERPA and PANELFIT projects, SIENNA helped move the discussion beyond AI to find out how can we build on what was learned from that discourse to prepare for the next wave of scientific and technological advances. Miss the workshop? The event was recorded and is now available for everyone to watch!

TechEthos: New project using ethics to shape technology of the future

Fri, 26 Mar 2021 08:00:00 GMT

Technological developments and breakthroughs often bring shocking and spectacular changes to society. Highly complex, disruptive and transformative, they challenge human values, freedoms and societies. To maximise the benefit for society and minimise potential harms, we need to understand and address the ethical and social implications of new and emerging technologies. Making sure we are not forgetting marginalised and vulnerable populations. As the SIENNA project ends, a new Horizon2020 project begins. Building on our results to bring ethical and societal values into the design and development of new and emerging technologies. Want to know more? We suggest you sign up to the TechEthos newsletter and follow them on Twitter!

Addressing societal concerns in public research funding

Thu, 25 Mar 2021 11:39:00 GMT

On 5 March 2021, the SIENNA project organised a webinar to present and discuss outcomes from our work on addressing societal concerns in public research funding. Miss the webinar? Don't worry, a recording of the presentation by Nicole Santiago is now available!

Ethics, Human Rights & Emerging Technologies: SIENNA final conference recording available!

Wed, 24 Mar 2021 10:09:00 GMT

The SIENNA project ended on 31 March 2021. The results of our 3,5 year project were presented at a three day conference: Discussing the ethical and human rights issues raised by emerging technologies, and the methods and instruments propose to govern need for ethical guidance and governance of emerging technologies. We have recorded our presentations on regulation, innovation policies, research ethics frameworks, Ethics by Design methodologies, education and training progammes, standards, and certification. Did you miss the event? Don't worry! We recorded it!

Ethics & human rights for new and emerging technologies: Take home messages from the SIENNA project

Fri, 12 Mar 2021 12:18:00 GMT

Human genomics, human enhancement, artificial intelligence and robotics offer benefits for both individuals and society. But these technologies also challenge human rights and our notions of what is ethical. SIENNA has developed frameworks and proposals for the ethical management and legal regulation of human genetics and genomics, technologies for human enhancement, artificial intelligence and robotics. Interested to know more? We have published a policy brief summarising the key messages that can be drawn from the SIENNA project!

Enhancing national legal frameworks for AI & robotics: SIENNA project Policy Brief #3

Mon, 08 Mar 2021 12:38:00 GMT

National policy-makers should ensure that any changes in legislation responding to AI and robotics are fit for purpose and in accordance with the country’s international obligations, especially with regards to human rights and societal values. There is need for legal clarity and guidance.

Policy options for the ethical governance of disruptive technologies: open STOA panel on 23 March

Mon, 08 Mar 2021 11:58:00 GMT

We invite you to an online event that takes its point of departure from the current discussion and legislative agenda of AI. Focusing on issues and challenges in need of particular attention, and how can they be addressed: Moving beyond AI to find out how can we build on what was learned from that discourse to prepare for the next wave of scientific and technological advances. The SHERPA, SIENNA and PANELFIT projects have been involved in developing the programme and panels, and now we invite you to join the STOA panel on 23 March!.

SIENNA webinar on societal concerns in public research funding

Tue, 23 Feb 2021 08:08:00 GMT

Both public research funders and researchers have an obligation to the public to ensure that research has a positive impact on society, which includes addressing concerns and mitigating potential harm. Societal concerns about new and emerging technologies relate to ethical, human rights, and socio-economic impacts – many of which were identified in the SIENNA project. Join us online on Friday, March 5 at 13.30 CET to discuss methodology for identifying and addressing societal concerns in public research on new and emerging technologies!

Thank you for contributing in our public consultation process!

Tue, 26 Jan 2021 07:34:00 GMT

Between 11-25 January the SIENNA project shared proposals for public consultation. The documents outline ways to suppor the ethical management of human genetics and genomics, technologies that can be used to enhance human abilities, artificial intelligence and robotics. The input will now feed into the reports we submit to the European Commission. Want to know more? Join us on 11-12 of March when we present the results from the project at our final conference!

Save the Date for the SIENNA final conference: 10-12 March

Fri, 22 Jan 2021 13:26:00 GMT

The SIENNA project is coming to an end. We invite you to an online event on 10-12 March where we will present and discuss our results and proposals for the ethical management of human genomics, human enhancement, artificial intelligence and robotics. And how the SIENNA approaches can be generalised to other new and emerging technlogies.

Last chance to give input: public consultation ends 25 January!

Fri, 22 Jan 2021 13:19:00 GMT

Monday 25 January is the last chance to give input in our public consultation on proposals for the ethical management of new and emerging technologies. Don't forget to submit your feedback on our documents!

Public consultation on ethical guidance for genomics, human enhancement, artificial intelligence and robotics

Thu, 17 Dec 2020 09:00:00 GMT

New technologies challenge our notions of what is ethical. The SIENNA project has developed stakeholder informed proposals for the ethical development, deployment and use of new and emerging technologies. Between 11-25 January we invite you to a public consultation of a group of documents with concrete ethical guidance for human genetics and genomics, human enhancement, artificial intelligence and robotics! Want an invitation? Subscribe to our newsletter to make sure you receive information the minute the documents become available.

Ethical debates about genetic cognitive enhancement: Time to broaden the discussion

Fri, 23 Oct 2020 08:55:00 GMT

SIENNA findings show that attitudes to human enhancement technologies and research on the genetics of human intelligence vary greatly across different economic, cultural, and social landscapes. One potential way to enhance human abilities, including our cognition, is by interfering in IVF processes. So far, the ethics debate has centred on gene editing using the CRISPR technique. However, there is not as much talk of embryo selection as a method for genetic human enhancement. In a recent publication, Marcelo de Araujo emphasises the need fill this gap.

Webinars 17 June: Enhancing legal frameworks

Wed, 03 Jun 2020 14:21:00 GMT

We need expert and stakeholder input, because regulating new and emerging technologies raises questions that require broad discussion. The SIENNA project would like to invite join our webinars on 17 June 2020 to discuss how to enhance the legal frameworks for human genomics, human enhancement, artificial intelligence and robotics technologies. Depending on your area of interest, you can join one, two or all of them!

COVID-19 and climate change: Why has the response been so different?

Tue, 21 Apr 2020 09:04:00 GMT

COVID-19 emerging as a global threat has states and civil society to taking radical measures to limit its spread. But, in spite of mounting evidence that climate change will also have devastating consequences for humanity over the next decades, governments and civil society have been far less engaged in adopting effective measures to avert dangerous climate change. Why?

Public online lecture on false messages and false messengers

Mon, 20 Apr 2020 08:48:00 GMT

Fake news have been around for a long time. As part of a postgraduate course on information ethics and law, SIENNA’s Maria Bottis at the Ionian University is organising a public online lecture with Rafael Capurro starting from his recent paper “Pseudangelia - Pseudangelos: On False Messages and Messengers in Ancient Greece”.

SIENNA legal analysis webinar on 5 March!

Mon, 17 Feb 2020 07:28:00 GMT

The SIENNA project has produced a legal analysis of issues and human rights challenges of artificial intelligence, robotics, human enhancement and human genomics technologies and studies of how they are handled in different jurisdictions. We now invite you to hear a presentation of the results in a webinar on 5 March 2020, at 2PM Central European Time!

SIENNA: plans for 2020

Fri, 20 Dec 2019 09:26:00 GMT

The SIENNA project wishes you happy holidays! In 2020, we will us the data we have collected so far to develop ethical frameworks for Human Genomics, Human Enhancement, AI and Robotics. Our work will also be translated to guidelines for researchers and innovators in industry and academia, protocols and operational guidelines for research ethics committees, recommendations for better legislation, and more!

Presenting our work for the European Commission!

Wed, 04 Dec 2019 08:00:00 GMT

Today, work package and task leaders from the SIENNA project are in Brussels to present our work to the H2020 project officer and an expert external reviewer. We are looking forward to this opportunity to review what we have done so far, and receiving feedback to improve what we do in the future.

SIENNA at ENERI final conference

Wed, 16 Oct 2019 08:11:00 GMT

The ENERI project is coming to an end. On October 28-29, they will bring together leading ethics experts, researchers, policy makers, representatives from industry, research funding organisations, civil society and other stakeholders to disseminate the concepts and products developed during the three-years term of the project. SIENNA will be represented in a panel with other SwafS RE and RI projects.

Planning for the future!

Mon, 30 Sep 2019 13:17:00 GMT

Planning for the future and moving the project forward. 24-25 September, we met in Paris to discuss SIENNA impact and sustainability... Have a look below to learn what we talked about!

From data collection and analysis to frameworks and codes

Wed, 25 Sep 2019 05:48:00 GMT

Right now, members of the SIENNA consortium are meeting in Paris to decide how we move from collecting and analysing data to developing ethical frameworks and codes. We will also discuss how to ensure that we deliver outputs that stakeholders in human genomics, human enhancement, artificial intelligence and robotics both want and are able to use.

Call for papers on Ethics by Design: Deadline extended to July 1

Wed, 26 Jun 2019 12:32:00 GMT

Public opinion surveys and panels complete!

Wed, 08 May 2019 08:56:00 GMT

Besides input from experts, the SIENNA project is committed to include public opinion in our work. The results will inform the ethical evaluation and the development of ethics protocols and codes. On 27 April 2019, we ended our data collection. In all, we have completed telephone surveys with over 11,000 people in 11 countries and citizen panels in 5 countries. Now, the work to analyse the data begins.

Stakeholder and expert input to SIENNA's ethical analysis

Tue, 09 Apr 2019 07:37:00 GMT

Today and tomorrow, SIENNA consortium members meet experts and stakeholders in Athens to discuss the project's approach to ethical analysis. Participants will discuss methods and approaches to integrate stakeholder perspectives and public opinion in ethical assessments of new technologies.

Call for papers: Ethics and Human Rights in Smart Information Systems

Wed, 23 Jan 2019 11:49:00 GMT

Interested in the ethics and human rights issues in smart information systems? Join the SHERPA, SIENNA. PANELFIT, ORBIT projects and others in the IEEE Smart World Conference forum thisyear! Call for papers closing 26 April 2019.

Season's greetings from SIENNA

Fri, 21 Dec 2018 13:37:00 GMT

Happy holidays from the SIENNA consortium partners in the Netherlands, China, Germany, Brazil, Poland, Greece, United Kingdom, France, Spain and Sweden, and our associate partners in Japan and the US.

Stakeholder input to SIENNA: Foresight

Fri, 21 Dec 2018 13:19:00 GMT

In January 2019, SIENNA is organising three foresight workshops to discuss risks, impacts and ethical issues of AI and robotics, human enhancement and genomics with invited stakeholders.

Embedded EthiCS postdoc opportunity at Harvard University

Fri, 14 Dec 2018 11:03:00 GMT

Want to help bring ethical reasoning into the computer science curriculum? Don't miss the embedded EthiCS postdoc opportunity at Harvard University! Apply by January 15.

Collecting stakeholder input on legal aspects of Genomics, Human Enhancement, AI & Robotics

Thu, 08 Nov 2018 09:42:00 GMT

On November 8-9, the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights is hosting the second SIENNA stakeholder workshop. This time covering the legal aspects of genomics, human enhancement, AI & Robotics.

Law Disrupted, Law Re-Imagined, Law Re-Invented

Tue, 06 Nov 2018 13:49:00 GMT

SPEAKER: Roger Brownsword

November 7th
6.30 PM
Warsaw University, Lipowa 4 St.

SIENNA - soon in your langauge!

Thu, 05 Jul 2018 08:37:00 GMT

The SIENNA project has partners from Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas. Right now, we are working to make information about the project available in different languages to help partners communicate about our work.

The SIENNA project in Spanish

Tue, 26 Jun 2018 12:12:00 GMT

Speak Spanish? SIENNA has developed a video about the project for Spanish audiences. Follow the SIENNA Technology, ethics and human rights channel on YouTube for more videos!

Fostering cooperation and finding synergies

Mon, 11 Jun 2018 09:25:00 GMT

SIENNA's Coordinator Philip Brey and Deputy Coordinator Rowena Rodrigues represented the SIENNA project at the European Cluster Event on ‘Research Ethics and Research Integrity Projects’, organised by the European Commission in Brussels on 1 June 2018.

Brazilian perspectives on ethics and new technology

Fri, 09 Mar 2018 10:11:00 GMT

In December 2017, the quarterly magazine Rio Pesquisa invited two Brazilian SIENNA researchers to talk about their participation in the project. Here, Marcelo de Araujo, Professor of Philosophy of Law at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, gives a short English summary.

ETHICS BLOG: Ethics, human rights and responsible innovation

Tue, 31 Oct 2017 12:29:00 GMT

It is difficult to predict the consequences of developing and using new technologies. We interact with smart devices and intelligent software on an almost daily basis. Some of us use prosthetics and implants to go about our business and most of us will likely live to see self-driving cars.

SIENNA: Preparing the ground for responsible innovation

Thu, 19 Oct 2017 08:10:00 GMT

Policy makers all over the world struggle to assess the ethical and human rights impact of new research in genetics and genomics, human enhancement, artificial intelligence and robotics. Researchers from four continents have teamed up in the SIENNA project to help improve existing ethical and legal frameworks. The project receives a financial contribution of just under €4 million from the EU’s Horizon 2020 programme.

SIENNA project kicks off

Tue, 10 Oct 2017 07:14:00 GMT

On October 19-20 this year, the SIENNA project kicks off with a meeting at the University of Twente. Researchers from Europe, Asia, America and Africa come together to discuss the ethical, legal and human rights aspects of Human Enhancement, Human Genomics, AI & Robotics.

European funding for research on ethical and legal aspects of new technologies

Fri, 28 Apr 2017 11:08:00 GMT

In the upcoming decades, technology will change the world. One of the most important questions in this connection is, just how far do we want to go? Over the next three-and-a-half years, University of Twente researchers, together with counterparts from around the world, will be tackling that very question.