A New Network Initiative on AI, Media and Democracy

The ‘Junior Scholars Network on AI, Media and Democracy’ is a new initiative that aims to connect and support junior scholars who are conducting research relating to the development and use of AI by media and potential impacts on democracy. The goal of the network is to stimulate cooperation, interdisciplinarity, inspiration and knowledge sharing amongst junior scholars with different backgrounds but who share similar research interest.

The initiative launched in the first week of February 2023, and is supported by the AI, Media and Democracy Lab at the University of Amsterdam (UvA), the Digital Democracy Centre (DDC) at the University of Southern Denmark (SDU) and the University of Bergen (UiB). It builds on an existing self-organised network on ‘Automated Journalism’ that was set up in 2019 during a Multidisciplinary PhD Workshop on Automated Journalism. With the new setup from 2023, the network will have increased institutional support to help organise not only online but also physical events as part of the network activities.

Throughout the year, the network would ongoingly organise different online activities, which could include but are not limited to:

• Reading seminars of new relevant research
• Peer-review session / paper development sessions, where selected scholars present and get feedback on works-in-progress
• Invited speaker sessions with influential scholars in the field
• Workshops either internally in the group or with external speakers
• Social/networking events

Beyond the online activities, the network will organise one physical event every year with financial support from UvA, SDU and UiB.

Organisation and membership

The day-to-day organisation of the network is managed by an organisation committee comprised of three members of the network, one from each of the sponsoring institutions. The committee in 2023 is comprised of Hannes Cools (SDU/UvA), Anja Salzman (UiB) and Anna Schjøtt Hansen (UvA).

To be a member of the network, you must be a PhD or Postdoc at either UvA, SDU or UiB and working on a topic related to AI, Media and Democracy or be a PhD or postdoc that was part of the existing network on ‘Automated Journalism’. All members must also be willing to take actively part in organising activities in the network.