On May 7, 2025, the Center for Technology and Society (CTS) at TU Wien hosted a half-day workshop titled “Preventing the Malicious Use of AI”. The event welcomed 29 master’s students from the University of Twente, accompanied by Dr. Michael Nagenborg, Associate Professor of Philosophy of Technology.

The workshop was part of a multi-day study visit to Vienna and was organized by CTS as a program item to foster international academic exchange. The workshop was led and developed by Kevin Blasiak (Postdoctoral Researcher at CTS and the Faculty of Informatics at TU Wien), with key contributions from CTS team members Matthia Link, Noah Pfander, and Anna Franzkowiak, who provided essential support with logistics and coordination.

Thematically, the workshop focused on the societal risks and challenges associated with the malicious use of artificial intelligence (AI) – for example, by extremist or terrorist actors. Participants discussed concrete threats such as deepfakes, automated radicalization, AI-driven disinformation campaigns, and biometric surveillance.

At the core of the workshop was the Value Sensitive Design (VSD) approach – a methodological framework that systematically integrates ethical values into the technology design process. After a short introduction to current AI risks and the principles of VSD, the students worked in small groups using Envisioning Cards. Based on a fictional use case (“The Repurposed Chatbot”), they analyzed potential harms and value tensions, identified key stakeholders, and developed creative proposals for design and governance interventions.

The workshop also served as preparation for a contribution to the upcoming ECSCW workshop on Shifting the Conversation on Malicious Use of AI: A Value-Sensitive Approach – a by the CTS//circle.responsibleComputing initiated project that promotes ethically responsible technology development. Further information can be found here on our website.

In addition, several Twente students contributed in the following days as active supporters and feedback providersduring the TECH DESIGN SPRINT 2025, offering input and ideas that helped shape participants’ concepts and solution approaches.

We would like to thank Dr. Nagenborg and his students for the inspiring exchange – and we look forward to future collaborations with the University of Twente and other international partner institutions!

Further Information:

Shifting the Conversation on Malicious Use of AI: A Value-Sensitive Approach

  • May 9, 2025 (last updated)