A guest lecture by Professor Christian Morgner, Professor of Digital Culture and Social Innovation at the University of Portsmouth, will be held at the Faculty of Croatian Studies, University of Zagreb, on Tuesday, 5 May.

The lecture, entitled “Generative AI as Question Laboratory: From Answers to Questions”, will be held for sociology students, starting at 14:20 in the Zagreb lecture hall.

In his lecture, Dr Morgner will question the commonly accepted understanding of artificial intelligence as a technology primarily aimed at generating answers. Instead, he will open up a perspective on generative artificial intelligence as a “question laboratory” — a space in which the assumptions, contingencies and political dimensions of the questions we ask are explored. The lecture will offer a critical perspective on the transformative potential of generative artificial intelligence in contemporary society, science and communication, directly connecting with the thematic framework of the DIGI-HR project.

Dr Morgner’s research is situated at the intersection of complexity studies, network analysis and creative practices, with a particular focus on diversity, inclusivity and innovation in global cultural processes. His work is especially concerned with major conceptual questions and methodological innovations in the study of culture and social change.

Particularly noteworthy is his involvement in projects aimed at improving the quality of life of people living with dementia. These include the Tasty Spoon project, funded through the Alzheimer’s Society Accelerator Programme, as well as his participation in the BRIDGES for Dementia Network Plus project, an initiative funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). Within this project, he leads a work package dedicated to connecting art, sport and culture with advanced technologies, with the aim of developing innovative solutions that enable people living with dementia to lead better-quality and more independent lives.

Dr Morgner’s visit is organised as part of the institutional research project DIGI-HR, carried out at the Faculty of Croatian Studies. The project explores how the conditions of digital inclusion and exclusion are shaped in contemporary Croatian society, with a particular focus on understanding the digital divide, social inequalities in access to digital communication, and the possibilities for reducing them through lifelong learning.

We invite all interested students, teachers and researchers to attend this lecture and take part in the discussion on the social, cultural and political implications of generative artificial intelligence in the context of digital inclusion and contemporary social change.