Silva Bashllari
26 OCT - SUN TALKS
The Future of Work due to AI: Clashes of Schools of Thought & Perceptions
This talk addresses one of the most pressing debates of our time: how artificial intelligence will shape the future of work. While much attention has been placed on the quantitative dimension—such as potential rises in unemployment—this discussion moves beyond mere numbers to explore what quality of work means in an age of intelligent machines. What makes a job good or decent, and how might AI shift those benchmarks? Leading economists and thinkers in the field hold divergent views: some warn of widespread displacement and a deterioration of labor conditions, while others emphasize new opportunities, improved productivity, and the redefinition of human roles in work. These perspectives will then be examined through an original survey and qualitative interviews, contrasted with the opinions of young people in Europe, particularly from Italy, Albania, and Kosovo. Understanding the perceptions of these young people—using both interviews and Machine Learning models—is imperative, because ultimately the policies that prevail will not only be grounded in economic theory but also in what societies collectively believe to be most likely, underscoring the central role of perception in shaping political reality.
25 OCT - SAT WORKSHOPS
AI Literacy for Non-Technical Audiences
This two-hour workshop aims to democratize AI knowledge by equipping non-technical audiences with a clear, accessible understanding of how this transformative technology works and why it matters. Starting with the story of how AI emerged, participants will learn how everyday data—sounds, images, and text—are transformed into numbers that feed the models now embedded in nearly every sphere of society, from determining interest rates in banks to curating the content we see on social media. The session will also highlight some of the core ideas of the new EU AI Act, linking technical concepts to the regulatory frameworks that will shape their real-world applications. The session will unpack the basics of how these models function, demystifying the jargon and myths that often cloud public debate. This session may be of special importance to those in policymaking, decision-making, and media, whose influence can shape public opinion and regulation. The guiding principle is simple yet urgent: we cannot shape what we do not understand. By developing AI literacy, we not only strengthen informed decision-making but also reclaim agency in how this general-purpose technology will be steered for collective benefit.