The philosophy of artificial intelligence

Prof. Dr. Vincent C. Müller has been a Humboldt professor at FAU since June 2022. His research focuses on the interface between philosophy and artificial intelligence.

Ten years ago, the public perception of artificial intelligence (AI) was drastically different from that of today. This is due not only to technical but also to cultural developments. Today, AI can do a lot of things that it was previously unable to do, for example beating humans at chess and producing programs and systems that can visibly solve problems. Theoretical questions on AI, such as what exactly defines intelligence, what constitutes human intelligence and what differentiates human intelligence from artificial intelligence have been around since the 1950s, but they were largely ignored for a long time. That has changed increasingly over the last two decades. “The area of AI has experienced a major upturn, as has interest into the theory behind it,” states Prof. Dr. Vincent C. Müller.

In the right place at the right time

Müller has only recently relocated to Erlangen, and intends to carry out research into theoretical and ethic issues behind AI. Before coming to FAU, he worked at Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands. “FAU was looking for someone who was an expert in these issues,” Müller remembers. “Then they called me.” He is very pleased that the University, both the Executive Board and the faculties, seized the initiative and actively support research in this area. “Conditions are good and the time is right,” he says. “I can see a wealth of opportunities at FAU,” Müller continues. “A university which offers the entire spectrum of academic disciplines has many advantages. Researchers from all subject areas are colleagues. That makes interdisciplinary research much easier.”

Collaboration with different disciplines is extremely important to Müller. “If problems originate from the area of computer science, for example, I have to tackle them at their source. I don’t shut myself away from others to work in isolation in my little office.” As a Humboldt professor, he would like to bridge the gap between research into technical and humanities subjects.

Becoming established

His main aim at FAU is to establish a structure for this new area of research, that is in some aspects still very much in its infancy, at FAU and in Erlangen, and in Germany as a whole, and help it make a breakthrough. “The topic of ethics in relation to AI was virtually non-existent in Germany until a few years ago,” Müller explains. “That is the reason why we are seeing a lot of experts coming in from abroad to research the topic.” The intention is that Müller will work in Germany to develop a guiding vision for “humane AI”, in other words an intelligence that genuinely serves human purposes.

Major plans

His Alexander von Humboldt professorship entails funding of 3.5 million euros. Müller intends to use this funding to complete projects that have already been started: a handbook on the topic of the philosophy of AI as well as a book that explores the question of whether machines can think. Even greater plans are in the pipeline: Müller intends to build up a research center connecting applied ethics and applied philosophy with AI. The center should make an impact not only in academic circles but also in politics and in society. Plans are also in the pipeline for establishing a whole new institute: the new international and interdisciplinary Center for Philosophy and AI Research (PAIR) that is to become the future hub for AI philosophy at FAU.

Crossing subject boundaries

“I do not deal with questions from computer science, I deal with theoretical questions about computer science,” says Müller. These questions deal for instance with humanity’s self-image: what impact does AI have on that? Should machines be granted responsibility and rights? Müller hopes to encourage greater discussion of such issues. From his philosophical stance, he hopes to find answers to questions that arise outside of philosophy. Interdisciplinary collaboration is essential for Müller, who makes a point to meet once a month with eight other Humboldt professors from entirely different research areas to share ideas. “Cutting-edge research can only work if you work together with people who know something that you do not know:” That has long been the case at a university like FAU, and should be encouraged and extended even more in future.

The Humboldt-Professorship of the FAU

from Deborah Pirchner

In der aktuellen Ausgabe finden Sie Beiträge zu folgenden Themen: Wie Wissenschaft und Diplomatie zusammenspielen können, welche Wege mit der Wasserstofftechnologie LOHC gegangen werden sollen, einen Einblick in die abenteuerliche Donaufahrt der FAU-Römerboote, ein Interview mit dem Paralympicsathleten und Jura-Studenten Josia Topf sowie ein Porträt des neuen Humboldt-Professoren Vincent C. Müller.