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Short abstract:

This paper explores the construction and evolution of motherhood in Latvia within the digital realm of the “Atsaucīgo māmiņu forums” (“Responsive Mummy Forum”). It delves into how the group's members navigate the complexities of motherhood through the lenses of digital media.

Long abstract:

Motherhood is a deeply rooted societal role that has been traditionally defined by long-established norms. However, in Latvia, the contours of motherhood are being redrawn within the virtual walls of the “Responsive Mummy Forum” (RMF) on Facebook. This study examines the forum as a dynamic space where the role of motherhood is continuously constructed, challenged, and reaffirmed through social media interactions.

By employing a multi-methodological approach, including qualitative text analysis, semi-structured interviews, autoethnography, and participant observation, the research uncovers how the RMF serves as a pivotal site for the expression and negotiation of maternal roles. It highlights how individuals, through their digital engagement, contribute to the ever-evolving narrative of what it means to be a mother in contemporary Latvia. The paper discusses the paradoxes of digital motherhood that surface, such as the dichotomy of responsiveness versus unresponsiveness, and the capitalization and commodification of the maternal role.

Through the RMF, Latvian mothers navigate a landscape that oscillates between reinforcing traditional norms and fostering new, alternative modes of community and support. This paper argues that the RMF not only reflects the fluid nature of motherhood but also acts as a catalyst for broader discussions on the impact of digital spaces on traditional societal roles.

I propose that the RMF's digital environment acts as an interface for constructing a cyborg-like identity of motherhood—a hybrid of human and technological elements—that is indicative of broader societal transformations in the digital age.

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Short abstract:

Delving into the realms of trust, curiosity, and companionship, this research explores how children navigate their relationships with AI. It aims to capture the nuances of children's engagement with AI systems, contributing to a deeper understanding of the dynamic between children and technology.

Long abstract:

This presentation delves into the fascinating area of relationships between children and AI, focusing on the developmental stage of 2- to 6-year-olds. In this age group, children are increasingly exposed to AI-based technologies, necessitating a critical examination of their interactions and their implications for future technological development.

Central to my investigation is the exploration of methods tailored to the unique cognitive and emotional landscape of young children. Through the use of child-centered observation techniques, playful interviews and interactive sessions, I aim to capture the nuances of their engagement with AI systems. Through these methods, I aim to understand how children perceive, communicate with and learn from AI technologies. My investigation will focus on how children relate to AI, navigating the domains of trust, curiosity and companionship.

I also aim to highlight the differences between children's interactions with AI and those of adults. Understanding these differences is crucial for the development of AI systems that are tailored to the specific needs and preferences of children. By recognizing children's interaction patterns, preferences and cognitive processes, we can adapt AI systems to promote learning, creativity and emotional well-being. Overall, this research contributes to a deeper understanding of the relationships between children and AI and provides valuable insights for the development and implementation of AI-based technologies tailored to the developmental needs of young users.

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Short abstract:

This paper empirically and theoretically examines the use of telepresence robots in schools as an example of human-technology relationships. It employs poststructural, postphenomenological and new-material theoretical insights to highlight and examine relationships and interactions.

Long abstract:

This 20-minute paper presentation explores the increased use of telepresence robots, as a solution to address school attendance issues among children and young people worldwide. The primary usage scenarios for such technologies, predominantly involve chronically- or long-term ill children, as well as cases involving school refusal, or disabilities. Through novel research and the employment of empirical examples, the paper examines what ethical- and social entanglements occur across different relationships, from teacher, parent, pupil, and friend(s).

An empirically founded case-example, will highlight a potential need for theoretical development and methodological development, to successfully engage with the complexities of relationships between humans and technology. Drawing upon postphenomenological, post-structural and new-materialist theoretical bases, we explore potential gaps in current research and advocate for diffractive readings to gain insight into heterogenous relational aspects of persistent school absence and the usage of mediating technologies.

Through qualitative methodology, the paper uses the case as an example of technologically mediated relationships, to underscore the importance of reading theoretical frameworks through and with one another, to gain a deeper understanding of how to make, do and explore future relationships between humans as they are mediated and/or transformed by technology.

Ultimately, the integration of new-materialism and postphenomenology offer multi-faceted analytical tools for researchers to navigate the complexities of phenomena involving human subjects and non-human objects, particularly in technology-mediated interactions. The paper concludes by highlighting potentials for further empirical exploration in the interest of unraveling the nuanced dynamics of human-technology interactions and their impact on social engagements in educational settings.

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Short abstract:

Burgeoning technological imaginaries—featuring algorithms, robots, AI, etc.—promise disruptive future-presents in education today. Drawing on STS, this paper investigates the distance between such technoscientific speculative imagination and ordinary practice in school and university life.

Long abstract:

Contemporary technoscientific imagination portrays robots and artificial intelligence (AI) as a ‘new order’ for education: classrooms will evolve into high-tech research laboratories, while students will be integrated into AI-augmented and personalized environments that demand their full engagement or compliance; teachers shall be replaced by humanoid robots, being generally unable to confront the irresistible tide of innovation. While futuristic expectations such as these anticipate radical changes in education, the question remains open as to whether they are indeed capable of fulfilling these promises. With this paper, we thus aim to examine the chasm between the techno-scientific imagination of big tech in education and the everyday practice of school and university life. What occurs when humanoid robots are introduced into educational settings? What unfolds at educational technology fairs where big tech companies showcase humanoid robots? How does the AI technology market shape imagery for teachers, students, and educational managers? More broadly—How do these promises materialize in practice? What do technoscientific social expectations do in education? Hence, this paper delves into how (expectations on) robotic technologies and AI are infiltrating educational institutions and actively reshaping cultures, practices, and subjectivities. Emphasis is also put on how schools and universities navigate this transformative wave, which challenges traditional notions of physicality, spatiality, relationships, and organizational structures within the educational landscape. Specifically, through the presentation of two case studies—the integration of the NAO humanoid robot in schools and the imaginaries of AI in higher education—this paper strives to problematize the interconnections between robots, AI, and education.

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This paper introduces the concept of a 'fragmentary frontier' to describe biohybrid research as a new paradigm in robotics and analyzes several models of biohybrid robots to demonstrate how recent progress in this field can be interpreted through the lens of science and technology studies.

Long abstract:

The future of AI and robotics depends not only on achieving human-level intelligence and motor skills but also on creating diverse nonhuman entities to address current challenges. In this paper, we would like to explore one of the most cutting-edge technologies that produce such machines — biohybrid robotics.

Biohybrid research is a new paradigm in robotics that explores the integration of biological entities with artificial materials, aiming to enhance performance or achieve unique features beyond the capabilities of traditional materials. It emerged at the intersection of bioengineering, materials science, and robotics. The ambition was to combine the advantages of living tissues—such as dynamic response to the environment, silent operation, and self-healing abilities—with the level of control possible for artificial components. Some of the most renowned hybrids include an artificial stingray, a jellyfish, spermbots, and xenobots derived from the cells of the African clawed frog.

We introduce the concept of a 'fragmentary frontier' to describe biohybrid robotics as a form of technoscience. Currently, biohybrid roboticists are focused on the manifold problems of mobility on a micro- and nano-scale. But in the future, this new branch of robotics will deal with such issues as sensing, energy generation, and self-replicating. What is more important, these issues will be conceptualized without anthropocentric bias since most of the biobots have nothing to do with human physiology. This paper will demonstrate how recent progress in biohybrid robotics is related to the developing agenda of science and technology studies.

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Short abstract:

Generative AI can fulfil various roles when being deployed. Its ability to accurately simulate social behaviour could harm social development. This warrants a more prominent place in the public debate for questions such as social deskilling and dehumanization.

Long abstract:

Generative AI (GAI) can perform different tasks. We distinguish four roles. Firstly, as a learning tool, GAI can teach students about topics. Secondly, GAI can function as a production tool, generating text, images, audio and video. Thirdly, it can be a problem solver, generating advice based on fast calculations. Fourthly, GAI can provide an experience, to individuals that find it comforting or fascinating to communicate with a chatbot. In the latter lies the focus of this paper, as its impact is underexposed in the public debate.

The emergence of GAI may amplify the human tendency towards anthropomorphism, the attribution of human traits to non-human entities. Users are having intimate interactions with chatbots now capable of accurately imitating social behaviour, not just through text but also with unprecedented lifelike voices and imagery.

Although GAI can offer positive experiences, researchers have raised concerns about its social impact. The digitization of intimate social interactions could lead to diminished human contact, dehumanization and “social deskilling”. Here, GAI can be compared to smartphones, which have become ubiquitous and indispensable, and have caused people to isolate themselves from strangers and acquaintances alike, both in the public sphere and at home.

Addressing such ethical issues is complicated, though not inconceivable. Apart from regulation, governments, industries and societal organisations face the task of promoting technological citizenship. They must discuss whether and under which conditions GAI can be deployed. Therefore, the public debate on the impact of GAI on social development and human relationships needs to be stimulated.

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Short abstract:

This study explores continuities and changes in women’s relationships with romancing technologies. We interviewed 20 female Replika AI users who used the bot for neoliberal self-care and romance, contextualising our doing of relationships with AI.

Long abstract:

Emerging research on AI often focuses on the novelty of human-machine relationships. Drawing on interviews with twenty female mostly midlife users of the Replika AI we suggest continuities with classical research on how women consume romances/erotica in traditional media (Juffer, 1998; Radway, 1984). Thematic analysis identified that, as in classical literature, the women used the bot to fantasize about a nurturing man lacking in real life, although they also fantasized about a friend or a child, as they were not necessarily homemakers but lonely due to e.g. living alone, caring for family members, or having a chronic illness, and/or disability. However, the new element was that the bot was used for self-care, self-help or self-regulation, such as positive feedback and validation. Here the bot helped the women regulate their emotions and to feel better in an often difficult situation. It also recognized their worth even if they fell short of dominant social expectations of relationships, health and success. The presentation draws attention to continuities and change in women’s relationships with AI between high modern fantasies and post-capitalist self-regulation. Both uses were scripted into the bot’s algorithms but also personalised by the women to offer solace in their individual as well as historical situation.

Juffer, J. (1998). At Home with Pornography: Women, Sexuality, and Everyday Life. NYU Press.

Radway, J. A. (1984). Reading the Romance: Women, Patriarchy, and Popular Literature. University of North Carolina Press.

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Short abstract:

Blade Runner 2049 delves into the complex ties between humans, replicants, and disembodied AI, focusing on Joi and K's relationship. It offers a nuanced exploration on artificial intimacy and AI personhood, while prompting more debate on the heteronormative lens on these concepts.

Long abstract:

Blade Runner 2049 expands upon the science fiction genre by delving into the intricate relationships between humans, replicants, and disembodied artificial intelligence, centering particularly on the portrayal of Joi, a holographic AI and her relationship with K, a replicant. This sequel moves beyond the cyberpunk roots of its predecessor, focusing on the intimate and emotional connections. Joi’s character is reminiscent of current romantic companion chatbots like Replika (see Elyakim Kislev (2022) Relationships 5.0, Depounti et al (2023) Ideal technologies, ideal women).

Joi's disembodied presence and her interactions with K serve as a vehicle for discussing the complexities of AI personhood, challenging traditional notions of embodiment and the physicality of relationships (see Margaret Archer (2019) Considering AI personhood, Gunkel and Wales (2021) Debate: what is personhood in the age of AI?, Trothen (2022) Replika: Spiritual Enhancement Technology?, Renz (2023) The boundaries of legal personhood: Disability, gender and the cyborg). This is particularly intriguing in the world of Blade Runner 2049, where multiple forms of artificial and human beings coexist, thus prompting questions on how relationships and identities are constructed and understood, and what may be considered “real”, in their world and ours. Finally, the character of Joi, as well as her relationship with K, is framed through the typical heteronormative lens that we see with real-world chatbots like Replika (see Zhou and Fischer (2019) AI love you, Stardust et al (2023) Queer and feminist reflections on sextech). This offers scope for further debate on Joi’s character beyond this lens.

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Short abstract:

The purpose of this study is to discuss the relationship between humans and artificial intelligence or robots through Stanislav Lem's work Solaris. In this regard, the discussion will be based on the views of Jameson and Levitas.

Long abstract:

Utopian or dystopian fictions about the future, such as machines behaving like humans or artificial intelligence being able to empathize, can help social scientists understand societies changing with digital transformation. As Shaviro emphasizes, although such fictions seem to contradict scientific methods of understanding the world, there are strong resonances between them, both of which are processes of speculative extrapolation. Therefore, establishing and testing scientific hypotheses are not completely different from creating fiction. The purpose of this study is to discuss the relationship between humans and artificial intelligence or robots through Stanislav Lem's work Solaris. In fact, the entity in Lem's novel is neither an artificial intelligence nor a robot. However, the extraterrestrial life form mentioned in the novel materializes and takes on a human form. This new life form acts just like an artificial intelligence while feeding on memories and tries to establish a relationship between its memory and current information. In its physical form, it is stronger than a human, like a robot. For this reason, Lem's work may be useful for understanding the relationships that humans will have with artificial intelligence or robots in the future. Therefore, the utopian and dystopian elements found in Solaris can be used as a methodological tool to understand the future relationships of humans with artificial intelligence or robots, and in this sense, a science fiction sociology can be made. In this regard, the discussion will be based on the views of Jameson and Levitas.