Textlogo 'UFR', Abkürzung für 'Universität Freiburg'
Institut für Deutsches, Europäisches und Internationales Öffentliches Recht, Abt. 2 Prof. Dr. Silja Vöneky
Siegelement der Uni Freiburg in Form eines Kreises

Adaptive Governance of Emerging Technologies (AdGovEm)

How to Regulate AI and Biotech?

About

AI and biotechnology are two key emerging technologies that can mitigate large-scale problems, such as global warming or public health challenges, but also add new and unforeseen risks. They are characterized by complex innovation dynamics, and innovation outpaces in many dimensions political and legal adaptations.

The interdisciplinary research network EmTechAdGov is based at University of Freiburg and chaired by Prof. Dr. Silja Vöneky and  Prof. Dr. Rolf BackofenAn aim is to analyze existing rules, as the current General Assembly Res. on safe, secure and trustworthy AI (11 March 24) and the EU AI Act (2024); besides we aim to develop proposals for a new adaptive governance architecture for emerging technologies, especially AI and biotechnology, to promote the common good and protect human and constitutional rights. This shall involve developing analytical, descriptive, and normative methods to reduce uncertainties concerning the impacts of new technologies. As a key challenge to make a governance framework contextual, fast, and adaptive core elements of adaptive governance shall be assessed. This includes answering the questions whether and, if yes, in which regard AI shall not only be an object of regulation but be part of such a governance framework. How can we achieve that an adaptive governance framework is based on a set of rules and procedures that are frequently updated through the inclusion of new information and – at the same time – strengthen democratic legitimacy and the rule of law?

The network consists of researchers from the University of Freiburg and other partners from various disciplines, such as law, ethics, philosophy, bioinformatics, computer sciences, mathematics, medicine, biology, environmental sciences, psychology, sociology and anthropology. Part of the network is an interdisciplinary network of early career researchers and ongoing research projects (see below).

Workshops, Presentations and Lecture Series

Interdisciplinary AdGovEm Research Projects University of Freiburg

Interdisciplinary AdGovEm Graduate Network University of Freiburg

Publications by Early Career Researchers of Network and PIs

Team