[Online winter academy 2022] Artificial intelligence and international law

21 - 25 February 2022
  • Starts at: 09:00h
  • Fee: Regular fee: €895 / Student fee (including PhD): €495
  • Venue: Online
  • Organiser: T.M.C. Asser Instituut
  •   Register

In February 2022, the Asser Institute will host the fourth edition of its annual Winter Academy on Artificial Intelligence and International Law. This innovative training programme provides participants with insights into the current and future issues raised by AI from the perspective of international law and related disciplines. The programme will take place in the week of 21–25 February 2022 online.

Background
Artificial intelligence (AI) comes with many promises. It has the potential of providing for cognitive abilities going beyond human capacities, which could lead to significant scientific and societal progress. At the same time, the use of technologies that display increasing degrees of autonomy brings in significant ethical, legal, and policy challenges. AI is disruptive to fundamental legal norms and concepts, as well as to systems of international governance.

Programme description
The Winter Academy is an interdisciplinary programme that offers in-depth perspectives on AI and international law. It provides foundational knowledge on key issues at the intersection of theory and practice, and offers a platform for critical debate and engagement on emerging questions. The programme covers technical aspects of AI, philosophy and ethics of AI, AI and human rights, AI and international humanitarian law, AI and international responsibility, and international governance of AI.

Indicative list of topics:

  • Understanding AI technology
  • Responsible AI and ethical design
  • Human-machine relationships
  • Ensuring respect for human rights in the context of AI
  • Military applications of AI and the international law of military operations
  • Individual and collective responsibility in relation to AI
  • International governance of AI

Target audience

  • Researchers and advanced students (master or PhD) in the fields of international law, political science, philosophy, or computer science
  • Policy analysts and legal advisers working on innovation and technology in public or private institutions
  • Industry professionals interested in the law and governance of AI

Programme

Monday 21 February 2022 – Understanding AI

09:15 - 09:30       Log-in & test-run 
10:15 - 10:25       Opening and Words of Welcome - Professor Janne Nijman (Academic director Asser Institute) 
10:25 - 11:15       Introductions - Dr Berenice Boutin and Eline Dorst (Asser Institute) 
11:15 - 12:30       Introduction to Philosophy of Technology - Dr Sadjad Soltanzadeh (Asser Institute) 
12:30 - 13:30       Break
13:30 - 14:45       Technical Introduction to AI - Dr Tomasz Zurek (Asser Institute)
14:45 - 15:15       Break 
15:15 - 16:30       Demonstration - Dr Tomasz Zurek (Asser Institute)  

Tuesday 22 February 2022 – AI and Human Rights

09:15 - 09:30       Log-in & test-run 
09:30 - 10:45       Re-Designing the Disrupted Notion of Agency - Dr Sadjad Soltanzadeh (Asser Institute)
10:45 - 11:15       Break
11:15 - 12:30       Algorithmic Bias and Discrimination - Professor Frederik Zuiderveen Borgesius (Radboud University)
12:30 - 13:30       Break 
13:30 - 14:45       AI and Corporate Responsibility - Dr Lottie Lane (University of Groningen) 
14:45 - 15:15       Break 
15:15 - 16:30       Designing for Human Rights in AI - Dr Evgeni Aizenberg (TU Delft)

Wednesday 23 February 2022 – AI and Current Challenges 

09:15 - 09:30       Log-in & test-run
09:30 - 10:45       Freedom of Expression and Online Content Regulation - Dr Ben Wagner (TU Delft)
10:45 - 11:15       Break
11:15 - 12:30       AI in the Public Sector and Strategic Litigation: A Case Study - Dr Berenice Boutin (Asser Institute) 
12:30 - 13:30       Break 
13:30 - 14:45       AI and Export Controls - Dr Machiko Kanetake (Utrecht University)
14:45 - 15:15       Break
15:15 - 16:30       Malicious Uses and Abuses of AI - Irakli Beridze and Maria Eira (UNICRI Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics)

Thursday 24 February 2022 – AI and Armed Conflict 

09:15 - 09:30       Log-in & test-run
09:30 - 10:45       Military Applications of AI and International Humanitarian Law - Dr Magdalena Pacholska (Asser Institute) & Klaudia Klonowska (Asser Institute)
10:45 - 11:15       Break
11:15 - 12:30       AI and Individual Criminal Responsibility - Dr Marta Bo (Asser Institute; IHEID) 
12:30 - 13:30       Break
13:30 - 14:45       State Responsibility in Relation to AI - Dr Berenice Boutin (Asser Institute)
14:45 - 15:15       Break
15:15 - 16:30       Workshop: IHL in Action - Dr Magdalena Pacholska (Asser Institute) and Klaudia Klonowska (Asser Institute) 

Friday 25 February 2022 – AI Governance 

10:15 - 10:30       Log-in & test-run
10:30 - 12:00       Charting a Regime Architecture for AI Governance - Dr Matthijs Maas (University of Cambridge)
12:00 - 13:00       Break
13:00 - 14:30       International Governance of AI in Practice: Drafting a Legal Framework on AI - Zoltán Turbék (Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary; CAHAI)
14:30 - 15:15       Review and Closing - Dr Berenice Boutin (Asser Institute)

Confirmed speakers

Reviews from the 2021 Winter academy on artificial intelligence and international law:

“The Winter Academy on AI and International Law was an excellent mix of academic disciplines and insights: both in content as well as in lectures and participants. The content varied from technology to ethics and from law to politics. Very interesting!”

“I had heard a lot of positive things about this winter academy prior to joining, and I agree that the programme of this course is very rich and the content is indeed very interesting. I have learned a lot and I just wish it could be longer!!”

“I was impressed with the interdisciplinary approach to design this programme. It was very useful to understand the nature of AI issues by having the computer programmer's perspective on the first day, and eventually we moved onto more concrete legal problems.”

“It is an excellent educational experience for those who want to understand the main issues in AI and international law. The quality of the faculty is also impressive.”

Coordinator

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The winter academy on artificial intelligence and international law is coordinated by Dr Berenice Boutin, senior researcher in international law at the Asser Institute. She is the academic coordinator of the Asser Institute's research strand Regulation in the public interest: Disruptive technologies in peace and security and project leader of the DILEMA research project on Designing International Law and Ethics into Military Artificial Intelligence.

Registration & questions
To register for this winter academy, click here or on the ‘register’ button at the top of the page and fill out the form.

After successful completion of this winter academy, you will receive a professional certificate from the T.M.C. Asser Instituut.

Please contact educationtraining@asser.nl with any inquiries.