The Swedish Collegium for Advanced Study (SCAS) and the Wallenberg AI, Autonomous Systems and Software Program – Humanity and Society (WASP-HS) External link, opens in new window. have together launched a new international research initiative, Human Futures – AI Transitions in a Global Context, carried out in collaboration with Tokyo College (Japan) External link, opens in new window. and the Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study (STIAS, South Africa). External link, opens in new window.

Programme Description

Human Futures is an international research initiative exploring how artificial intelligence and autonomous systems are reshaping societies, institutions, cultures, and forms of knowledge across different global contexts. Bringing together scholars from the Nordics, Asia, and Africa, the programme seeks to create a comparative and interdisciplinary conversation on AI and its societal implications.

The programme starts from the premise that AI is not a singular or universal technology. It is shaped by—and in turn reshapes—specific historical, social, political, and epistemic environments. At a time when AI is often discussed through technological competition or regionally dominant perspectives, Human Futures aims to open up a broader conversation grounded in diverse experiences and forms of knowledge.

The inaugural workshop at the Swedish Collegium for Advanced Study (SCAS) in Uppsala will focus in particular on two thematic clusters: AI, Knowledge and Epistemic Change and AI, Academia and Academic Agency. Discussions will explore how AI affects the production and validation of knowledge, research practices, disciplinary cultures, and institutional life within academia. The workshop is designed as a space for dialogue and collective inquiry, bringing together perspectives from different disciplines and regional contexts.

Human Futures is structured as a longer-term collaborative programme. Rather than working toward fixed conclusions, it seeks to identify emerging questions, tensions, and areas for future exploration that can be developed across subsequent workshops and ongoing exchange between participants.

Planned Timeline

• 27–29 May 2026 – Inaugural workshop at SCAS, Uppsala, Sweden
• 1–3 March 2027 – Workshop at STIAS, Stellenbosch, South Africa
• 9–11 November 2027 – Workshop at Tokyo College, Tokyo, Japan