Marsilius Academy AI and Human Values

Exploring technological, social, and normative perspectives

September 21 – 27, 2025

The rapid development and spread of large language models (LLMs) is increasingly penetrating all areas of life and significantly shaping modern society. This increasingly raises questions about the underlying values and norms and the ethical, legal and social implications: What ethical principles should guide the development and use of text-generating AI? What are the social consequences of increasing automatization? And how can we ensure that the texts generated by AI reflect our shared values? Our Summer School focuses on these questions: The aim is to critically question the normative foundations of generative AI and to discuss which values are embedded in its development and how these values can be reflected and modelled in a globalized world.

The Summer School offers an interdisciplinary space to combine perspectives from (among others) computer science, linguistics, philosophy, theology, medicine and law. Researchers in early career phases who are actively working on research projects or doctoral projects in the field of generative AI are particularly addressed. Through their expertise and disciplinary perspectives, they contribute to an in-depth discourse on values and norms in the making of AI while at the same time building sustainable scientific networks.

The core objective of the Summer School is not only to raise awareness of the ethical dimensions of AI, but also to develop concrete implications for the responsible use of generative AI in science and society. Accordingly, special emphasis will be placed on output and the sustainable backup of results. In the mornings, the focus will be on practical presentations on AI-related topics, while in the afternoons, small interdisciplinary projects with a practical transfer idea will be developed in group work and presented at a closing event.

Grafik Marsilius Academy 2025

Cooperation Partners and Sponsors

The Marsilius Academy 2025 is a joint venture of Heidelberg University's Marsilius Kolleg and the working group "Critical AI Engineering and Educational Transfer (CAEDHET) at the Heidelberg Center for Digital Humanities (HCDH). It is co-sponsored by the Field of Focus 3 within Heidelberg University's Excellence University Concept.

 

Public Session - Panel Discussion

Marsilius kontrovers: AI and mental health – opportunity or risk?

Artificial intelligence is permeating and transforming more and more areas of our lives – offering great opportunities but also carrying significant risks and side effects. At the 17th edition of “Marsilius kontrovers”, computer scientist Michael Gertz, philosopher Julia Peters, and psychologist Svenja Taubner will discuss how AI is changing the field of mental health. The debate will address potential strains caused by AI-supported technologies as well as their impact on our self-image and social relationships. At the same time, the discussion will highlight the opportunities and limitations of AI in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. The aim of this panel is to bring together different perspectives and to contribute to societal orientation in a sensitive field of the future.

The audience, both on site and via livestream, is warmly invited to participate: Thursday, 25 September 2025, 7:00 pm in the Aula of the Old University, Universitätsplatz, 69117 Heidelberg, and online via livestream. The event in the Alte Aula will be held in German and simultaneously interpreted into English.
This panel discussion is part of the Marsilius Academy “AI and Human Values” (21–26 September 2025).

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Plakat Marsilius kontrovers KI und mentales Gesundheit 2025-09-25

Target group, expectations and participation fee

The Academy is aimed at Master students as well as PhD candidates. A participation fee of 100€ - including room and board - will be charged. Travel costs are to be covered by the participants themselves.

Participants are expected to present the current status of their work in a poster session.

Confirmed Speakers

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Prof. Dr. Claire Benn
Cambridge University, Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence
Prof. Dr. Jana Diesner
Technical University Munich, Human-Centered Computing Lab
Prof. Dr. Anette Frank
Heidelberg University, Institute for Computational Linguistics
Prof. Dr. Michael Gertz
Heidelberg University, Institute for Computer Sciences
Prof. Dr. Georgia Koppe
Heidelberg University, Interdisciplinary Center for Scientific Computing
Prof. Dr. Thorsten Moos
Heidelberg University, Chair for Systematic Theology and Ethics
Dr. Katarzyna Nowaczyk-Basińska
Cambridge University, Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence
Dr. Letiția Pârcălăbescu
Aleph Alpha Research
Dr. Thomas Renkert
Heidelberg School of Education, Working Group „Critical AI Engineering, Digital Humanities and Educational Transfer“
Prof. Dr. Guido Sprenger
Heidelberg University, Institute for Anthropology
Prof. Dr. Daniel Truhn
RWTH Aachen, Lab for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine
Prof. Dr. Silja Voeneky
Universität Freiburg, Völkerrecht / Public International Law
Eva Wolfangel
Science Journalist, Nature Marsilius Visiting Professor 2021/22

Scientific Committee

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Organisation Team

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Funded as part of the Excellence Strategy of the German federal and state governments