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Summer Lecture Series

From April to June, four online talks explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping politics, public discourse, and global order—from performative fact-checking and partisan perceptions of AI bias to public attitudes toward military AI and the geopolitics of digital technologies. Together, they show that AI is not just a technical tool, but a deeply political force that influences authority, trust, regulation, and conflict in contemporary societies.

@Grok Is this True? Performative Fact-Checking During Contested Events in Polarized Digital Spaces

When users “ask the AI” on X, are they seeking truth—or performing it? Analysing 147,000+ Turkish-language tweets from 2025, this online talk shows how Grok is often used less for verification than for signaling authority, discrediting opponents, and shaping narratives—turning fact-checking into a rhetorical weapon in polarised online debates.

Geopolitical Struggles of the Emerging Global Tech Order

As calls for global tech regulation grow, geopolitical tensions and powerful private companies complicate cooperation. This online talk examines the emerging global tech order, showing how competing “tech imaginaries” shape relations between states and firms—and influence public discourse, policy, and the future of digital regulation.

How Partisanship Affects Preferences for Large Language Model Output

Do people want politically neutral AI—or AI that favors their side? Using a U.S. conjoint experiment, this talk shows how partisanship shapes preferences for LLM responses, from balanced answers to refusals. The findings reveal a “preference gap” and strategic expectations of AI behavior, with important implications for perceived bias and trust in generative AI.

Public Opinion on Military Uses of AI: Technology Beliefs, Moral Boundaries, and Security Contexts

How do citizens judge the rise of AI in warfare? Drawing on survey data from nine countries, this talk shows that attitudes toward military AI are shaped by a mix of stable beliefs—about technology, ethics, and foreign policy—and shifting perceptions of global threat. Rather than uniform scepticism, public support varies across different AI applications, revealing the political and moral fault lines of AI-enabled warfare.

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