Convenor
Convenor's affiliation
Cristina Ledro
University of Padova
Co-convenors
Luigi Jesus Basile, Claudio Loporcaro, Vincenzo Varriale
Abstract
Artificial intelligence (AI) and cutting-edge technologies have immense potential to advance social sustainability and promote inclusive economic growth. However, realizing these benefits requires aligning technological innovation with ethical frameworks, governance structures, and equitable policies. This track examines how organizations can harness AI and emerging technologies, such as blockchain, the Internet of Things (IoT), extended reality (AR/VR), and big data analytics, to create socially sustainable and inclusive knowledge ecosystems that extend beyond organizational boundaries. It encourages interdisciplinary research that addresses the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), data privacy/security risks, workforce implications, and strategies for ensuring no groups are marginalized as AI reshapes how knowledge is created, shared and utilized.
Description
The disruptive impact of AI and emerging technologies extends beyond organizational boundaries, significantly influencing surrounding communities, particularly in industries with strong local footprints, such as manufacturing, agrifood, and extractives. Responsibly harnessed, these innovations can uplift local knowledge ecosystems and human capital development. For instance, AR/VR can enhance quality education and skills training within companies and local communities. AI-powered language models can help break down linguistic barriers, making knowledge more accessible across diverse groups.
However, failing to promote inclusive innovation risks perpetuating socioeconomic divides. Automation may displace local workforces unprepared for AI integration. Lack of digital literacy can marginalize communities from accessing AI-enabled services. Bias in AI systems can disadvantage underrepresented groups. Data privacy violations and lack of accountability erode public trust.
This track aims to explore multi-stakeholder strategies for leveraging AI's transformative potential to build socially sustainable and inclusive local knowledge ecosystems aligned with the UN SDGs. We invite interdisciplinary research bridging technological, organizational, ethical, policy, and community perspectives.
Potential themes include, but are not limited to:
1. Ethical AI governance frameworks for community impacts
2. Data rights, privacy, and digital inclusion for local populations
3. Reskilling workforces and communities for inclusive AI adoption
4. Mitigating bias in AI for equitable access to knowledge/services
5. AI for optimizing sustainable skills and knowledge transfer
6. Multi-stakeholder partnerships for inclusive local AI ecosystems
7. Overcoming language/cultural barriers in globalizing AI knowledge
8. Human-centered design for socially sustainable local AI integration
9. Case studies from industries with local impacts like healthcare, manufacturing, agrifood, energy, extractives, etc.
By fostering cross-disciplinary dialogue, this track seeks to guide the ethical and inclusive adoption of AI across private and public sectors to uplift local knowledge ecosystems, bridge socioeconomic divides, build resilience against future disruptions, and drive progress towards the SDGs. Through interdisciplinary research that aligns technological innovation with community needs, this track aims to pave the way for socially sustainable and resilient knowledge ecosystems empowered by AI and emerging technologies.