In times of increasing polarization of public opinion, AI is no exception. Our imaginaries of AI are often dominated by emotions of hype or fear, hope or doom. The promises of this technology include economic growth through rapid productivity increases, unprecedented technological advancement, and solutions for the looming problems of tomorrow. At the same time, an AI-gone-rouge scenario is etched into the collective conscience through countless sci-fi books and movies. Furthermore, AI-powered cyberattacks and automated weapon systems already fundamentally change international conflict and warfare as we know it.

Approaches to these risks and opportunities diverge globally and call into question the common dividing line of liberal democracies versus authoritarian regimes. While the EU has chosen a risk-first approach to AI, its long-time partner the United States have kept regulations to a minimum amidst an AI race with China, which has taken a state-led development approach, trying to balance control and innovation. In the roundtable discussion “Beyond Tech Hype and Black Pills – AI safety in Liberal and Authoritarian Systems”, guests from academia, journalism, and think-tanks try to bring clarity to the oftentimes emotional and polarized discourse around AI safety and debate the questions: How can we identify and discuss what the real dangers of AI are? How do these dangers differ for liberal and authoritarian states? What are opportunities and pitfalls for cooperation between liberal and authoritarian states in finding solutions to AI safety related issues?

Speakers

• Prof. Dr. Genia Kostka: Professor of Chinese Politics at Freie Universität Berlin and Principal Investigator at SCRIPTS. Her research focuses on digital governance, artificial intelligence, and state capacity, with a particular emphasis on China’s digital transformation. 
• Prof. Dr. Dennis-Kenji Kipker: Scientific Director and Founder of the cyberintelligence.institute. Trained in both law and computer science, his research focuses on cybersecurity, digital resilience, corporate strategy, and the intersection of law and technology. 
• Manuel Allgeier: Co-founder of AI Safety Berlin, a network of researchers, policymakers, and practitioners dedicated to ensuring that future AI systems are safe and beneficial for society.
• Leonardo Pape: Independent editor at China.Table, Germany’s largest China-focused newsroom. 

Moderation: Moritz Lohmann (Freie Universität Berlin)

About SCRIPTS Forum

This event is part of the SCRIPTS Forum “Emergent Digital (Dis-)Orders: AI Governance between Liberal and Authoritarian Scripts” organized by the Institute for Chinese Studies of Freie Universität Berlin and Centre for International Security of Hertie School Berlin. The Forum investigates how AI and digital technologies reshape global contestations of political order as AI is not merely a technical innovation but a political instrument: it can foster transparency, participation, and democratic inclusion, while simultaneously enabling surveillance, manipulation, and authoritarian control. The Forum examines how political institutions, governance structures, and normative frameworks determine whether AI strengthens liberal or authoritarian logics

Registration

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