算法正在控制着社会和我们日常生活中越来越多的部分。

但是，他们实际上为我们做了什么 – 以及给我们做什么？我们可以信任算法吗？

我们可能对它们的准确性充满信心，但不一定对它们的道德或公正性充满信心。基于大量数据和算法的建议和决策似乎是客观和令人信服的。但是，我们对算法实际得出结果的方式了解多少呢？

当在敏感区域使用算法进行实际预测时会发生什么？例如，哪些儿童有遭受虐待的风险，或者哪些债务人不太可能偿还债务。我们是否应该使用算法预测作为政治决策的基础，因为它们可能比人类的直觉更可靠？如果是这样，对民主的后果是什么？如果我们允许算法在地方当局或法院处理的日常事务中做出决定，后果是什么？

ADD project aims to build trust

An ambitious DKK 100 million combined research and knowledge dissemination project will now analyse, produce insights and foster discussion about all this and much more. The project has been named ‘Algorithms, Data and Democracy’ – the ADD project.

Digitalisation has become a byword for growth and prosperity in society, but it has also become a controversial and contributing cause of crises of confidence in society. The pace of technological development is accelerating trends in society towards populism, polarisation, conspiracies, conflicts and increased inequality. This is entwining environmental, social, political and economic crises and fostering general distrust in society’s traditional institutions.

The ADD project will provide insights into and explain these connections at the same time as developing both technological and societal solutions aimed at restoring faith in public institutions.

Roskilde University heading the consortium

As part of their anniversary activities in 2021, VILLUM FONDEN and VELUX FONDEN have decided to grant DKK 100 million to this unique project. Over the next 10 years, the research and knowledge dissemination project will provide valuable know-how on the use of algorithms, and how we can use algorithms sensibly in our society and in our democracy in future. In other words: How we can prevent algorithms from contributing to greater conflict, insecurity and mistrust. And how they can make a positive difference and be of practical value to humans.

Following an open call and a recommendation from an international jury, the research part of the project has been won by a research consortium headed by Professor Sine Nørholm Just from the Department of Communication and Arts at Roskilde University.

It is not just the project itself which is unusual, but also the make-up of the research consortium. In addition to Sine Nørholm Just, the project will be run together with five researchers from five other Danish universities: Christina Lioma, professor at the Department of Computer Science, University of Copenhagen, Torben Elgaard Jensen, professor at the Department of Culture and Learning, Aalborg University, Leonard Seabrooke, professor at the Department of Organisation, Copenhagen Business School, Helene Friis Ratner, associate professor at the Danish School of Education, Aarhus University, and Alf Rehn, professor at the Department of Technology and Innovation, University of Southern Denmark.

“The aim of the project is to bring together computer science, the social sciences and the humanities to develop new solutions for the benefit of citizens and society. In other words, we want to understand technological developments and strengthen their democratic potential,” says Sine Nørholm Just.

The research group will analyse dilemmas and identify solutions through selected cases within areas such as health, finance, public administration, public opinion and decision-making. The project will present specific ideas for technological innovation and proposals for general guidelines and policies.

Extensive knowledge dissemination and dialogue work