Digitization, automation, and artificial intelligence will mean great opportunities and bring about changes both for society as a whole and for individuals. Opportunities and changes that are important to investigate scientifically.
Against this background, Marianne and Marcus Wallenberg Foundation and Marcus and Amalia Wallenberg Foundation in 2019 initiated the national research program WASP-HS, which will investigate opportunities and challenges that arise as a result of the change in technology.
“The ongoing technology shift is not just about technology, algorithms, and data power, but it will affect us all and society as a whole. It is therefore important that the humanities and social science aspects are also explored,” says Peter Wallenberg Jr, Chair of Marianne and Marcus Wallenberg Foundation.
The Foundations invest a total of SEK 660 million over ten years in WASP-HS. In this year's grant round, 10 projects have been awarded grants by Marianne and Marcus Wallenberg Foundation and two by Marcus and Amalia Wallenberg Foundation totaling SEK 69.8 million.
Some examples of what this year's research project deals with: Will AI health care be available to everyone? International regulation of artificial intelligence, AI in business models, strategies, and organizational processes, The impact of political bots on democracy, Challenges and opportunities for creative AI, Social robots as learning support, AI and cultural heritage collections, Which industrial companies will survive the technology shift in Sweden?
"This is a very exciting set of projects, extending and strengthening the vision of WASP-HS of excellent research in the humanities and social sciences. We are looking forward to welcome these new researchers," says Virginia Dignum, Program director WASP-HS.
Together with last year's 16 projects, the WASP-HS program now includes 28 research projects.
Professor Olov Engwall, KTH Royal Institute of Technology
Project: “Culturally Informed Robots in Learning Activities (CIRILA)”
Grant: SEK 4 900 000 over three years
Read more: “Culturally Informed Robots in Learning Activities (CIRILA)”
Associate Professor Anna Foka, Uppsala University
Project: “Quantifying Culture: A Study of AI and Cultural Heritage Collections”
Grant: SEK 4 900 000 over four years
Read more: “Quantifying Culture: A Study of AI and Cultural Heritage Collections”
Professor Jonas Tallberg, Stockholm University
Project: “The Global Governance of Artificial Intelligence”.
Grant: SEK 6 000 000 over three years
Read more: “The Global Governance of Artificial Intelligence”.
Professor Barry Brown, Stockholm University
Project: “AI in motion: Studying the social world of autonomous vehicles”
Grant: SEK 6 000 000 over five years
Read more: “AI in motion: Studying the social world of autonomous vehicles”
Professor Per Andersson, Stockholm School of Economics
Project: “A study of AI as a new strategic imperative; challenging existing strategies, business models and organizational processes”
Grant: SEK 6 000 000 over three years
Read more: “A study of AI as a new strategic imperative; challenging existing strategies, business models and organizational processes”
Professor Mats Engwall, KTH Royal Institute of Technology
Project: “Artificial intelligence and industrial transformation: Who will survive the technology shift in Sweden?”
Grant: SEK 6 000 000 over five years
Read more: “Artificial intelligence and industrial transformation: Who will survive the technology shift in Sweden?”
Dr Ana Nordberg, Lund University
Project: “AI and Automated systems and the Right to Health - Revisiting law accounting for the exploitation of users preferences and values”
Grant: SEK 6 000 000 over five years
Read more: “AI and Automated systems and the Right to Health - Revisiting law accounting for the exploitation of users preferences and values”
Associate Professor Johanna Björklund, Umeå University
Project: “AI-Driven Contextual Communication: Implications for Citizens and Society”
Grant: SEK 6 000 000 over three years
Read more: “AI-Driven Contextual Communication: Implications for Citizens and Society”
Professor Simon Lindgren, Umeå University
Project: “Cyborg Politics: A study of artificial agents in online democratic deliberation”
Grant: SEK 6 000 000 over five years
Read more: “Cyborg Politics: A study of artificial agents in online democratic deliberation”
Dr André Holzapfel, KTH Royal Institute of Technology
Project: “AI and the Artistic Imaginary: Socio-cultural consequences and challenges of creative-AI technology”
Grant: SEK 6 000 000 over four years
Read more: “AI and the Artistic Imaginary: Socio-cultural consequences and challenges of creative-AI technology”
Associate Professor Magnus Strand, Uppsala University
Project: “AI and the Financial Markets: Accountability and Risk Management with Legal Tools”.
Grant: SEK 6 000 000 over three years
Read more: “AI and the Financial Markets: Accountability and Risk Management with Legal Tools”.
Associate Professor Teresa Cerratto Pargman, Stockholm University
Project: “Ethical and Legal Challenges in Relationship to AI-driven Practices in Higher Education”
Grant: SEK 6 000 000 over four years
Read more: Ethical and Legal Challenges in Relationship to AI-driven Practices in Higher Education”
Ingrid Sundström, Executive Director of Marcus and Amalia Wallenberg Foundation
Ph. +46 (0) 8-545 017 80
E-mail maw@wfab.se
Carina Dahlberg, Research communicator, Wallenberg Foundations
Ph. +46 (0) 70 273 68 50
E-mail cada@wfab.se
Virginia Dignum, Professor and Program director, WASP-HS, Umeå University
Ph. +46 (0) 720 850 890
E-mail virginia.dignum@umu.se
WASP-HS
The Wallenberg AI, Autonomous Systems and Software Program - Humanities and Society,
WASP-HS, includes a national graduate school with up to 70 doctoral students, the creation of at least ten new research groups across Sweden, support for twelve visiting professors to strengthen Swedish research and networking activities, and a number of research projects.
Marianne and Marcus Wallenberg Foundation and Marcus and Amalia Wallenberg Foundation will invest a total of SEK 660 million during the period 2019-2028.
WASP-HS is an independent and parallel program to WASP.
Homepage WASP-HS
WASP
The Wallenberg AI, Autonomous Systems and Software Program, WASP, is Sweden's single largest private research initiative ever. The aim is to put Sweden at the international forefront in the areas of software, autonomous systems, and AI. Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation's financial commitment totals SEK 4.2 billion during the years 2015-2029. Together with co-funding from the participating universities and Swedish industrial groups, the entire initiative is worth SEK 5.5 billion.
Read more
Homepage WASP
The Wallenberg Foundations are the collective name for the 17 public and private Foundations formed by the Wallenberg family or established in memory of family members.
The Foundations grant funding to excellent researchers and research projects as well as education with a national benefit focus and have since 1917 granted more than SEK 35 billion, of which almost eleven billion over the past five years.
The largest Foundation is Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation with a focus on science, technology, and medicine. The two second largest Foundations are Marianne and Marcus Wallenberg Foundation, with a focus on the social sciences, and Marcus and Amalia Wallenberg Foundation, with a focus on the humanities.