Institute for Science and Ethics (IWE)
The IWE is a central research unit of the University of Bonn. Core objective is to contribute to an ethical reflection of current developments in medicine, science, and technology in order to facilitate the responsible use of new potentials emerging in these fields of human activity.
Sustainable AI Conference 2025
16 - 18 September 2025 in Bonn, Germany
Online registration is now open!
Should researchers use AI chatbots such as ChatGPT?
In this IWE in 2 minutes, Thomas Metcalf highlights the many advantages AI chatbots offer to researchers, such as summarizing papers, brainstorming ideas, drafting proposals, and finding literature sources—all while being cost-effective, fast, and energy-efficient compared to traditional methods. He also addresses ethical concerns around AI, including environmental impact, worker exploitation, and bias, and offers three practical recommendations for responsible AI use.
Harmonizing Futures: Bridging the Digital Divide with AI and Indigenous Knowledge for a More Inclusive and Sustainable World
Erick Tambo (United Nations University, Cameroon)
At our "AI Ethics from the Majority World" Workshop, Erick Tambo delivered an exciting talk titled "Harmonizing Futures: Bridging the Digital Divide with AI and Indigenous Knowledge for a More Inclusive and Sustainable World".
The AI Queens* of Bonn
On 29 April 2025 the second AI Queens* of Bonn lecture is taking place at the IWE.
Dr Eva Seidlmayer gave a short lecture on "Four Shades of Life Sciences: Machine Learning-Driven Disinformation Detection in the Life Sciences".
The video of this talk will be available on our YouTube channel soon.
African Intelligence versus Generative Artificial Intelligence
Wakanyi Hoffman (The New Institute, Germany)
At our "AI Ethics from the Majority World" Workshop, Wakanyi Hoffman delivered a thought-provoking talk titled "Afri-I vs Gen-AI (African Intelligence versus Generative Artificial Intelligence): Decoding the Logic in African Ubuntu Mindset to Humanize Machine Learning for Culturally Inclusive Ethics."
ARD interview with Aimee van Wynsberghe
Aimee van Wynsberghe gave an interview on the topic of “The energy hunger of artificial intelligence” for the program “Weltspiegel” on the German TV channel network ARD.
The program was broadcast on March 23, 2025 and can be found in the ARD media library.
Rethinking Party Politics: The Impact of AI on Governance, Membership, and Leadership
From 12 to 14 February 2025, the Center for Advanced Internet Studies (CAIS) hosted the international workshop "Rethinking Party Politics: The Impact of AI on Governance, Membership, and Leadership," coordinated by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Şebnem Yardımcı-Geyikçi, lead researcher of the "AI, Politics and Power" research group at the Institute for Science and Ethics (IWE), University of Bonn.
Four notions of autonomy
Neuroethics is a subfield of ethics. It has a strong interdisciplinary character, which can sometimes lead to problems, as concepts are not always used consistently in different scientific disciplines. One of the key terms in neuroethics is the concept of autonomy. In this video, we present a recent paper in which we introduce different approaches to autonomy in order to improve interdisciplinary understanding.
International Women's Day
On this years International Women’s Day we celebrate the achievements of women across the globe and those who are contributing essential work in the AI and tech industry.
Yet, the reality remains: women are still significantly underrepresented in AI and tech. From research labs to leadership positions, gender disparities persist, limiting the diversity of perspectives that shape the technologies of tomorrow.
What is Feminist Philosophy of Technology?
The Sustainable AI Lab at the University of Bonn has started a new lecture series: The AI Queens* of Bonn. These events are meant to offer anyone from the Bonn area, who feels underrepresented in AI practice, research, or education, a space to connect and share their experience.
Our first guest was Prof. Dr. Toni Loh from Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg, who gave a lecture entitled “What is Feminist Philosophy of Technology?”.
AI’s footprint – beyond energy consumption
AI's environmental impact goes far beyond carbon emissions. In this IWE in 2 minutes video Sophia Falk reveals how AI pressures six of nine critical Earth systems, including freshwater overuse in chip production, habitat destruction from mining, and toxic pollution from hazardous chemicals. Learn why AI’s footprint is more than energy consumption.
The AI Queens* of Bonn
The Sustainable AI Lab at the University of Bonn is starting a new lecture series: The AI Queens* of Bonn. These events are meant to offer anyone from the Bonn area, who feels underrepresented in AI practice, research, or education, a space to connect and share their experience.
The first event will take place on January 20th, 2025 at the IWE.
Registration is now open.
Abundant Intelligences: Decolonizing Methodologies in AI
Melanie Cheung (Indigenous AI, New Zealand)
At our "AI Ethics from the Majority World" Workshop, Dr. Melanie Cheung from Indigenous AI, Aotearoa/New Zealand, delivered a thought-provoking talk titled "Abundant Intelligences: Decolonizing Methodologies in AI."
Dr. Cheung's talk reminds us that integrating diverse worldviews, especially those rooted in abundance and sustainability, can transform the global AI conversation for the better.
An African Ethical Approach to the Sustainability of AI
In this IWE in 2 min, Jahaziel Osei Mensah explores Sustainable AI from an African perspective. He highlights Africa's pivotal role in AI development, and notes the underrepresentation of African views in the Sustainable AI debate.
Learning to Live with Strange Errors:
Beyond Trustworthiness in AI Ethics
In this IWE short talk video, Prof. Bert Heinrichs, senior researcher at IWE, presents some thoughts on the notion of "trustworthy AI". While this notion is now widely used in AI ethics, he explains why he thinks it is misleading and provides no good foundation for AI ethics.
Workshop: AI ETHICS FROM THE MAJORITY WORLD: Reconstructing the Global Debate through Decolonial Lenses
Speakers:
- Samuel Segun, Stellenbosch University, South Africa [YouTube]
- Deivison Faustino, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Brazil [YouTube]
- Modestha Mensah, University of Ghana, Ghana [YouTube]
- Husein Inusah, University of Cape Coast, Ghana [YouTube]
- Dodzi Koku Hattoh, University of Ghana, Ghana [YouTube]
- Dylan Merrick, University of Saskatchewan, Canada
- Melanie Cheung, Indigenous AI, New Zealand [YouTube]
- Wakanyi Hoffman, The New Institute, Germany [YouTube]
- Erick Tambo, United Nations University, Cameroon/Germany
Networking the German neuroethics community
Great progress has been made in the neurosciences. But to what extent should such new technologies or therapies intervene in the human brain? Neuroethics is investigating and discussing this question. The Research Hub Neuroethics (RHUNE) is now being set up under the project management of Prof. Dr. Bert Heinrichs.
Sustainable AI Conference 2023 - Sustainable AI Across Borders
From 30th May to 1st June 2023, the Bonn Sustainable AI Lab organized its second conference dedicated to the topic of Sustainable AI with the theme Sustainable AI Across Borders.
All presentations in the main hall were recorded and will be published successively on our YouTube channel every Monday at noon.
A written review with many conference photos can be found here.
Podcast with Prof. Dr. Aimee van Wynsberghe and Wouter Kolk
Prof. Dr. Aimee van Wynsberghe met with Wouter Kolk, CEO of Ahold Delhaize Europe and Indonesia, to discuss AI ethics in industry. The two of them spoke about the demands of industry leaders to use new technologies and the needs of customers to trust companies. A provocative and insightful talk!
Prof. van Wynsberghe speaks about the risks of AI for Persons with Disabilities at the World's first G7 Global Inclusion Summit
The beginning of September saw the first ever G7 Global Inclusion Summit in Berlin, hosted by the Federal Government Commissioner for Matters relating to Persons with Disabilities. The aim of the summit was to work together to enable more participation for people with disabilities in the G7 countries and to tackle global challenges together, also from the perspective of inclusion.
Prof. van Wynsberghe was invited to give a keynote on the impact of artificial intelligence on persons with disabilities. She highlighted how disability studies and scholars are largely excluded from the AI bias debate although the use of AI often exacerbates the marginalisation of persons with disabilities.
Alexander von Humboldt Professorship for Artificial Intelligence 2021
Aimee van Wynsberghe is the Alexander von Humboldt Professor for Artificial Intelligence (AI). She is sponsored by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation and its sponsor, the Federal Ministry of Education and Research.
Launch of the Bonn Sustainable AI Lab
The Sustainable AI Lab is a space for excellent researchers from different fields to work, collaborate, and brainstorm about the environmental, social, and economic costs of designing, developing, and using AI across society.
A short clip of the lab launch is available on YouTube.
Researching Ethical AI
Stiftung Mercator awards €3.8 Million to the Universities of Bonn and Cambridge
Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming society as algorithms increasingly impact access to jobs and insurance, justice, medical treatments, as well as our daily interactions with friends and family. As these technologies race ahead, we are starting to see unintended social consequences: algorithms that promote everything from racial bias in healthcare to the misinformation eroding faith in democracies. To ensure AI supports core human values, the German philanthropic foundation Stiftung Mercator has awarded a €3.8 million grant to a collaboration between the Universities of Bonn and Cambridge.
Click here for more information.
IWE in 2 minutes
The IWE has created a series of short videos in which we introduce ourselves, present our projects and promote our events.
New episodes are published on our YouTube channel regularly.
Sustainable AI Conference 2023
In June 2023 the second Sustainable AI Conference "Sustainable AI Across Borders" took place.
You can watch in on our YouTube channel.
Interviews, panels and podcasts with Aimee van Wynsberghe
On the following page you will find a selection of interviews with Prof. Dr. Aimee van Wynsberghe from the last two years.
Art Engagement
The Bonn Sustainable AI Lab regularly collaborates with artists and designers, for example in the framework of the ArtScience Residency.
Data Pollution & Power - Initiative
It is set up at the Bonn University’s Institute for Science and Ethics’ Sustainable AI Lab.
Contact
Institut für Wissenschaft und Ethik
Address
Institut für Wissenschaft und Ethik
Bonner Talweg 57
53113 Bonn
Germany
Sustainable AI Lab
Address
Institut für Wissenschaft und Ethik
Sustainable AI Lab
Bonner Talweg 57
53113 Bonn
Germany