Luciano Floridi Appointed Honorary Doctor at the University of Bergen
The University of Bergen has appointed Professor Luciano Floridi of Yale University as an honorary doctor, following a nomination from the Faculty of Social Sciences and the Department of Information Science and Media Studies. The honorary doctorate is the University of Bergen’s highest distinction and is awarded to individuals without formal affiliation to the university who have made outstanding contributions to research, society, or culture.
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Floridi is internationally recognized for his work in information ethics and the philosophy of technology. For several decades, he has researched how digital technologies and artificial intelligence shape society. He has developed influential concepts such as the infosphere and the Fourth Revolution, which are now widely used to explain the interaction between digital and physical worlds, and how new technologies affect the ways we communicate, work, and make decisions.
The University of Bergen particularly highlights Floridi’s early contributions to the analysis of artificial intelligence and large language models, well before these technologies became widespread. His research has been instrumental in illuminating challenges related to disinformation, algorithmic bias, and privacy, as well as in developing frameworks for the responsible use of emerging technologies.
Floridi has also played a prominent role in policymaking and advisory work. He led the AI4People initiative, which provided important scholarly input to the European Union’s work on guidelines for trustworthy artificial intelligence. In addition, he has worked closely with governments, international organizations, and technology companies on ethical issues related to digitalization.
At the University of Bergen, Floridi has maintained a long-standing engagement through his involvement in SFI MediaFutures. Since 2019, he has been a member of the centre’s International Advisory Committee, contributing to the development of its research agenda on responsible media technology and AI-driven innovation.
In connection with the appointment, Floridi states:
- I am deeply honoured and immensely grateful to have been awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the University of Bergen.
This recognition is particularly meaningful given UiB's outstanding commitment to research excellence and its leadership in addressing the ethical dimensions of our digital age. I am proud of my connection with UiB through the SFI MediaFutures International Advisory Committee. It is a privilege to collaborate with brilliant colleagues at the intersection of media, technology, and society.