Her nominated breakthrough, "Breaking the Wall of AI as a Neutral Technology," highlights her research on the societal and political implications of artificial intelligence and challenges the notion of AI as a purely technical innovation.

These questions are also at the heart of the current SCRIPTS Forum “Emergent Digital (Dis-)Orders: AI Governance between Liberal and Authoritarian Scripts,” which she leads together with SCRIPTS Principal Investigator Anita Gohdes. The Forum examines how different political systems develop, regulate, and deploy AI, and what this means for democracy, freedom, and global political order.

The Falling Walls Science Breakthrough of the Year recognizes outstanding scientific breakthroughs that contribute to addressing some of the world's most pressing challenges. Following a global nomination process, shortlisted finalists are evaluated by an international jury, with the laureates announced during the Falling Walls Science Summit in Berlin on 9 November 2026.

Congratulations to Genia Kostka on this well-deserved recognition, and best of luck for the final selection!