Join the Citizens’ Track on AI workshop on Tuesday, 20th October to explore how we can create engaging, inclusive and impactful public dialogue on the future of Artificial Intelligence.
As a ‘Road to Geneva’ event ahead of the 2027 Geneva AI Summit, and as part of a global effort to put public hopes and concerns at the centre of responses to AI, we will:
- Share the vision of the Citizens’ Track on AI, and explore how different groups in Basel and beyond are already involving communities in learning, dialogue and action around impacts of artificial intelligence.
- Shape a draft toolkit for community assemblies: providing flexible resources for joined-up local dialogues on AI
- Explore opportunities for community assemblies in Switzerland ahead of the 2027 AI Summit
This is a free in-person event taking place in at Casa Bethesda, Basel, Swizterland on 20th October 9 AM to 12 PM, followed by lunch.
We are able to offer limited travel support (e.g. train tickets / mileage) to participants travelling within Switzerland to join us. Contact tim@connectedbydata.org if this would help your participation.
Outline agenda
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09:00 - Welcome & introductions - including pilot testing of an interactive ‘AI in the Picture’ icebreaker activity, and a short presentation about the Citizens’ Track on AI project.
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09:30 - How are communities already having a say on AI? - sharing examples from the PAVE Case Book of participatory AI practice around the world, and examples from Switzerland, of community engagement to support public voices on AI.
If you have been working on a project engaging communities on AI, come prepared to talk about it for a few minutes. You are welcome to bring resources, reports or artefacts to ‘show and tell’.
- 10:00 - Introducing the Community Assembly Toolkit - exploring the anatomy of a deliberative workshop: welcome, learning, deliberation, action.
We’ll run trial versions of three activities from the Community Assembly toolkit. Through this we have chance to discuss substative AI issues, think together about the learning and discussion activities that can empower communities, and to refine the toolkit resources.
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10:10 - ‘Playtest 1’ - An introduction to AI (Learning) - exploring the past and present of AI
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10:40 - ‘Playtest 2’ - Hopes and Fears (Discussion) - sharing views on AI issues
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11:00 - ‘Playtest 3’ - Action Canvas (Action) - looking at who can create change
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11:30 - Reflections on the toolkit - exploring group feedback on the draft activities, and reflecting on how participants might adopt, adapt or re-use parts of the resource.
The Community Assembly toolkit will be updated based on feedback from trial sessions, with a first version released in mid-November, along with a call for communities to organise their own Community Assemblies.
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11:50 - The Citizens Track in Switzerland - talking about opportunities to run Community Assemblies in the run up to the 2027 Geneva AI Summit
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12:00 - Shared lunch