Virginia Dignum

This project aims at developing a novel conceptualization of artificial intelligence (AI) through the lenses of relational and feminist epistemology, challenging the traditional rationalist and individualistic foundations of AI. By reframing AI in a socially conscious context, this approach seeks to address the transformative role AI plays within society—examining who develops and benefits from AI, the types of knowledge it incorporates, its relationship to power structures, and its potential as a force for positive social change and inclusion. The prevailing narrative that depicts AI as an impartial, rational problem-solver overlooks the ways in which AI systems reinforce existing power imbalances and sustain implicit biases. In this project Virginia Dignum will explore the societal impact of AI, arguing that it needs to start from rethinking foundational assumptions around responsibility and power, moving beyond neutrality to center human needs and ethical accountability. This reconceptualization aims to foster AI systems that are human-centered, aligned with societal values, and designed to promote inclusion, equitable participation, and broad accessibility.