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Diplo Blog

The Hidden Influence: How Lwów–Warsaw School shaped AI developments

Jovan Kurbalija

The Lvov-Warsaw School, founded in the late 19th century by Kazimierz Twardowski, has made lasting contributions to philosophy highly relevant to modern AI. The school’s work in logic and semantics provides essential tools for AI, while its analytical approach offers insights into ethical challenges.

The strategy of provocation

Aldo Matteucci

01 April 2025

An ermine plays peek-a-boo from a rotting tree. Cute? Maybe. But it might also be a calculated survival tactic. Aldo Matteucci explores provocation in the wild – and its unsettling parallel in human behaviour.

Is AI the key to nuclear renaissance?

Bogdan Stojanovic

As AI’s energy demands surge, nuclear power is emerging as a key solution to sustain its growth while minimising carbon emissions. Tech giants like Microsoft, Google, and Amazon are investing heavily in nuclear energy to power AI-driven data centres, signalling a potential nuclear renaissance in the age of artificial intelligence.

Part 6: Governing the metaverse through standards

Anita Lamprecht

No system works without standards – not cities, not cyberspace. As the metaverse grows, it needs rules that go beyond code. Read Part 6 of the new metaverse blog series: UN 2.0 and the Metaverse: Are We Seeing What Is Possible?

Do we have a moral obligation to save wild bees?

Aldo Matteucci

23 March 2025

Only 2% of wild bees do 80% of the pollination. Should we still save the other 700 species? The debate is not just ecological – it’s moral vs economic.

Yellow Rain: Natural dust, scientific truth, and diplomatic tool

Jovan Kurbalija

Yellow rain, a phenomenon witnessed in Europe each March, occurs when Saharan dust is transported by winds and falls with rain, giving a yellow hue to the landscape. Originating from the Sahara, this dust is carried across vast distances and interacts with weather systems in Europe. Historically, yellow rain sparked geopolitical tensions during the Cold War, where it was misidentified as a bioweapon; scientific investigations later revealed it was likely bee feces. Addressing yellow rain impacts requires international cooperation, as demonstrated by efforts through the World Meteorological Organization and the Sand and Dust Storms Coalition.

Ethics and AI | Part 6

Petru Dumitriu

The EU AI Act is the world’s first comprehensive legal framework regulating AI, balancing innovation with fundamental rights protection. By adopting a risk-based approach and emphasising transparency, accountability, and human oversight, the Act seeks to promote trustworthy AI while addressing ethical concerns, though its effectiveness in curbing AI’s broader societal challenges remains to be seen.

The complexity of history: Beyond cause and effect

Aldo Matteucci

14 March 2025

History isn’t just a chain of causes and effects – it’s a web of infinite necessities, chance encounters, and transformative experiences. The American Revolution wasn’t inevitable, but it became so. Aldo Matteucci examines.

Part 5: Rethinking legal governance in the metaverse

Anita Lamprecht

Are we stuck in a ‘Groundhog Day’ of tech governance? The metaverse and AI demand new legal approaches, yet outdated regulations keep us in a cycle of repetition. Can we break free and build adaptive governance for the digital age?

Ethics and AI | Part 5

Petru Dumitriu

The Council of Europe’s Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence marks a historic step as the first legally binding international treaty on AI, emphasising human rights, democracy, and the rule of law. However, while it sets broad obligations and defines AI systems, its cautious approach leaves key ethical and regulatory gaps, prompting the need for further discussions on AI’s deeper societal implications.

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