TrAI-SoC Chair by the MIAI AI Cluster

Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly shaping everyday life, with the potential to redefine cultural norms and power dynamics. The challenge lies in harnessing the benefits of AI while mitigating its risks. The “Transformative AI & Social Change” (TrAI-SoC) Chair explores the transformative effects of AI at the individual, group, and community levels.

Objectives of the Chair

The primary objective is to design and evaluate AI tools—such as socially interactive adaptive virtual agents (SIAs) that act as coaches, and multi-agent serious games—to encourage behaviors that are beneficial to health and the environment. By leveraging AI’s capacity for real-time personalization and adaptation, we are studying how technology can effectively support long-term positive lifestyle changes and well-being.
The second objective is to educate diverse audiences—including students from elementary school through higher education, researchers, professionals, and the general public—about the benefits, risks, and responsible use of AI, thereby fostering informed and autonomous engagement with AI technologies.

ACTIVITIES

The Chair focuses its work on two main areas:

Research: To advance the design and evaluation of socially interactive agents (SIAs) and multi-agent serious games to promote behavioral change. This includes recruiting talented doctoral students or early-career researchers with multidisciplinary expertise in AI, psychology, and marketing, as well as strengthening collaborative networks such as the PEPR Ensemble program.

Education: defining educational content, exploring various delivery methods, and creating resources tailored to different audiences. These initiatives are accompanied by an evaluation of the resources and their societal impact.

The chair also disseminates its findings through publications, workshops, and public engagement.