#33 AI Series: University of Oxford - C. Summerfield

We are excited to feature Christopher Summerfield, who is currently a Professor at University of Oxford and will discuss "AI and Human Agency", lasting approximately 45 minutes. After the talk, seize the opportunity to connect with fellow AI enthusiasts to share ideas and questions while enjoying free drinks and pizza. Door close by 7.15pm, so please come early! Also, "attend"ing (RSVP) here on Meetup is strictly necessary to be guaranteed entry.
Please note that Meetup has recently been quite keen on promoting its Plus program. However, you are not obligated to purchase it, as both our events and the platform remain free.

Who is this event for?
This event is open to everyone interested in state-of-the-art AI research. We especially design it for students, PhD candidates, academic researchers, and industry professionals with a research focus in machine learning.

Abstract: As AI systems become integrated into every aspect of our lives, a key challenge is to ensure that they are built to empower, rather than to disempower humans. I discuss the nature of human agency, and the ways that it is enhanced or degraded by technology. I summarise recent evidence which has explored how humans are empowered or disempowered when they interact with conversational AI systems. I conclude by talking about potential technical solutions for enhancing human agency using AI.

Bio: CS is Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of Oxford, and a Research Director at the UK AI Security Institute. His work focuses on understanding the cognitive and neural mechanisms that underlie human learning and decision-making, and on studying the impacts of AI on society. His research bridges the fields of cognitive science, neuroscience, and artificial intelligence. He is particularly interested in how insights from human cognition can inform the development of more advanced and safer AI systems.

We are BLISS e.V., the AI organization in Berlin that connects like-minded individuals who share great interest and passion for the field of machine learning. This summer 2026, we will, again, host an exciting speaker series on site in Berlin, featuring excellent researchers from cohere, ETH Zürich, University of Oxford, HuggingFace, and Stanford University.
Website: https://bliss.berlin
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@bliss.ev.berlin

Disclaimer: By attending this event you agree to be photographed.