November 2024 - nexa - server-nexa.polito.it

The Semantic Hub Hypothesis: Language Models Share Semantic Representations Across Languages and Modalities

by Fabio Alemagna

Z Wu, X V Yu, D Yogatama, J Lu, Y Kim MIT & University of Southern California 2024 https://arxiv.org/abs/2411.04986 <https://arxiv.org/abs/2411.04986?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR1zptv1FSxEQpwQj…> The "Semantic Hub Hypothesis" explores how modern language models, such as those used for translation or understanding multiple languages and data types, manage to handle such diverse inputs. These models are trained on a variety of data—different languages, mathematical expressions, computer code, even visual or audio inputs. The researchers propose that language models create a shared space where similar meanings or concepts are placed close to each other, regardless of whether the input comes from a different language or format (like text vs. audio). This idea is inspired by a concept in neuroscience called the hub-and-spoke model. In the human brain, we organize knowledge in a central hub that brings together information from specialized areas, or "spokes," like visual or auditory centers. The authors suggest that language models use a similar strategy: they create a "semantic hub" where different kinds of data can be processed in a unified way. The researchers found that when language models process semantically similar ideas—say, the same word in two different languages—their internal workings look quite similar in intermediate layers. This holds true not just for languages, but also for things like math and code. The model's dominant training language can be used to interpret these similarities. They also discovered that changes in this shared space for one type of data (like text) predictably affect how the model processes other types of data (like audio or math), showing that this shared space is not just a side effect of training on lots of data. Instead, it's something the model actively uses to understand and respond to inputs across different languages and modalities. In summary, the Semantic Hub Hypothesis suggests that language models, much like the human brain, use a shared "hub" to connect and interpret information from various data types, making them highly adaptable and efficient in processing diverse kinds of input.

Nov. 11, 2024

Re: [nexa] The US government wants devs to stop using C and C++ • The Register

by Stefano Zacchiroli

On Sat, Nov 09, 2024 at 07:17:16PM +0100, Enrico Nardelli wrote: > https://www.theregister.com/2024/11/08/the_us_government_wants_developers/ > > ... the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the > Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI announced they were doubling down on > their efforts to persuade software manufacturers to abandon "memory-unsafe" > programming languages such as C and C++ ... La ricerca in sicurezza (più nella sua accezione "safety", in inglese, che "security") è ormai inequivocabile sul fatto che niente riduce quantitativamente le potenziali vulnerabilità in programmi scritti a livello sistema ("systems programming") quanto l'uso di linguaggi che, intrinsecamente, impediscono l'uso insicuro della memoria. Non posso quindi dare loro torto. Ma l'aspetto più interessante qui è che un governo abbia un'opinione in materia. Giusta o sbagliata che sia, il governo italiano ha un'opinione su come rendere più sicuro il software strategicamente importante per il paese nei prossimi 10-20 anni? (Mi scuso per la domanda retorica.) Ciao -- Stefano Zacchiroli . zack(a)upsilon.cc . https://upsilon.cc/zack _. ^ ._ Full professor of Computer Science o o o \/|V|\/ Télécom Paris, Polytechnic Institute of Paris o o o </> <\> Co-founder & CSO Software Heritage o o o o /\|^|/\ Mastodon: https://mastodon.xyz/@zacchiro '" V "'

Nov. 11, 2024

Re: [nexa] The US government wants devs to stop using C and C++ • The Register

by Giuseppe Attardi

Nov. 11, 2024

Re: [nexa] Documentary "In the Belly of AI" (Online Trailer & Workshop, Cambridge, 12 Nov. 2024)

by maurizio lana

in attesa del distributore, potrebbe essere proiettato in uno dei mercoledì di Nexa? Maurizio Il 11/11/24 02:17, Antonio Casilli ha scritto: > ..si aspetta che un distributore italiano se lo compri! > > > -----Original Message----- > From: maurizio<maurizio.lana(a)uniupo.it> > To: nexa<nexa(a)server-nexa.polito.it> > Date: Sunday, 10 November 2024 11:08 PM GMT > Subject: Re: [nexa] Documentary "In the Belly of AI" (Online Trailer & Workshop, Cambridge, 12 Nov. 2024) > > > ...per vederlo in Italia? > Maurizio > > > Il 10/11/24 16:56, Antonio Casilli ha scritto: >> In the Belly of AI: A Documentary on the Real Price of Automation >> >> >> In the Belly of AI: A Documentary on the Real Price of Automation >> >> Online Trailer & Workshop, Cambridge, 12 Nov. 2024 >> >> Dear all, >> >> I am excited to share with you the trailer of our upcoming documentary >> *In the Belly of AI* >> <https://www.casilli.fr/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/In-the-Belly-of-AI-traile…>, >> which examines the human and environmental costs of artificial >> intelligence through the stories and experiences of the people who >> shape the technologies that affect our daily lives. >> >> Documentary Screenshot >> >> The documentary is directed by *Henri Poulain*, and co-written by >> *Julien Goetz* and yours truly. Officially scheduled for release in >> 2025, it is produced by France Télévisions and set to be distributed >> in the UK by the BBC. It has been shortlisted for the Sundance Film >> Festival. >> >> Sundance Film Festival >> >> We will preview the documentary on Tuesday, November 12, 2024, at >> Churchill College, University of Cambridge, as part of a workshop >> co-organized with the /Minderoo Centre for Technology and Democracy/. >> >> The workshop will feature speakers Ana Valdivia (Oxford Internet >> Institute) and Adio Dinika (Distributed AI Research Institute), along >> with discussants Debangana Bose (Dept. of Geography, Cambridge) and >> Alex Wood (Dept. of Sociology, Cambridge). Following the workshop, >> there will be an open conversation with author James Muldoon >> (University of Essex) about his new book, /Feeding the Machine: The >> Hidden Human Labour Powering AI/, co-authored with Mark Graham and >> Callum Cant. >> >> >> Workshop: In the Belly of AI >> >> *Date:* Tuesday, 12 Nov 2024 | *Time:* 14:30 – 17:00 | *Location:* >> Sixties Room, Churchill College, Storey’s Way, Cambridge CB3 0DS >> >> >> Programme: >> >> *14:30 – 14:40* – Welcome: Professor Gina Neff, Executive Director of >> Minderoo Centre for Technology & Democracy >> *14:40 – 15:00* – Presentation: Professor Antonio A. Casilli, >> Professor of Sociology, Institut Polytechnique de Paris and By-Fellow >> Churchill College, University of Cambridge >> *15:00 – 15:05* – Excerpt 1: In the Belly of AI >> *15:05 – 16:00* – Roundtable: ‘Data Workers’ Inquiry: Community-led >> Research into AI Labour Practices’ | Led by: Dr Adio-Adet Dinika >> (Distributed AI Research Institute (DAIR)) | Discussant: Dr Alex Wood >> (Sociology, University of Cambridge) >> *16:00 – 16:05* – Excerpt 2: In the Belly of AI >> *16:05 – 17:00* – Roundtable: ‘AI Supply Chain Capitalism: Rethinking >> Algorithmic Harms Through an Environmental Lens’ | Led by: Dr Ana >> Valdivia (Oxford Internet Institute and UCL Centre for Capitalism >> Studies) | Discussant: Dr Debangana Bose (Geography, University of >> Cambridge) >> >> Workshop Image >> >> >> >> Open Conversation: In the Belly of AI / Feeding the Machine >> >> *Date:* Tuesday, 12 Nov 2024 | *Time:* 17:30 – 18:30 BST | *Location:* >> Sixties Room, Churchill College, Storey’s Way, Cambridge CB3 0DS >> >> >> Programme: >> >> *17:30* – Welcome >> *17:35* – Viewing: Excerpt from In the Belly of AI >> *17:40-18:30* – In conversation: Professor Antonio Casilli and Dr. >> James Muldoon on In the Belly of AI and Feeding the Machine** >> >> -- >> Antonio A. Casilli >> Professor, Telecom Paris | Institut Polytechnique de Paris >> By-Fellow, Churchill College | University of Cambridge >> My upcoming book: /Waiting for Robots. The Hired Hands of Automation/ >> <https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/W/bo239039613.html> >> (University of Chicago Press, 2025) >> > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > manutenzione della felicità comune > michela murgia > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > Maurizio Lana > Università del Piemonte Orientale > Dipartimento di Studi Umanistici > Piazza Roma 36 - 13100 Vercelli ------------------------------------------------------------------------ dialogare tra di noi per costruire una democrazia, l’unica istituzione di vita comune che non sia fondata sulla paura di morire michel dardenne ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Maurizio Lana Università del Piemonte Orientale Dipartimento di Studi Umanistici Piazza Roma 36 - 13100 Vercelli

Nov. 11, 2024

Re: [nexa] Documentary "In the Belly of AI" (Online Trailer & Workshop, Cambridge, 12 Nov. 2024)

by Antonio Casilli

..si aspetta che un distributore italiano se lo compri! -----Original Message----- From: maurizio <maurizio.lana(a)uniupo.it> To: nexa <nexa(a)server-nexa.polito.it> Date: Sunday, 10 November 2024 11:08 PM GMT Subject: Re: [nexa] Documentary "In the Belly of AI" (Online Trailer & Workshop, Cambridge, 12 Nov. 2024) ...per vederlo in Italia? Maurizio Il 10/11/24 16:56, Antonio Casilli ha scritto: > > In the Belly of AI: A Documentary on the Real Price of Automation > > > In the Belly of AI: A Documentary on the Real Price of Automation > > Online Trailer & Workshop, Cambridge, 12 Nov. 2024 > > Dear all, > > I am excited to share with you the trailer of our upcoming documentary > *In the Belly of AI* > <https://www.casilli.fr/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/In-the-Belly-of-AI-traile…>, > which examines the human and environmental costs of artificial > intelligence through the stories and experiences of the people who > shape the technologies that affect our daily lives. > > Documentary Screenshot > > The documentary is directed by *Henri Poulain*, and co-written by > *Julien Goetz* and yours truly. Officially scheduled for release in > 2025, it is produced by France Télévisions and set to be distributed > in the UK by the BBC. It has been shortlisted for the Sundance Film > Festival. > > Sundance Film Festival > > We will preview the documentary on Tuesday, November 12, 2024, at > Churchill College, University of Cambridge, as part of a workshop > co-organized with the /Minderoo Centre for Technology and Democracy/. > > The workshop will feature speakers Ana Valdivia (Oxford Internet > Institute) and Adio Dinika (Distributed AI Research Institute), along > with discussants Debangana Bose (Dept. of Geography, Cambridge) and > Alex Wood (Dept. of Sociology, Cambridge). Following the workshop, > there will be an open conversation with author James Muldoon > (University of Essex) about his new book, /Feeding the Machine: The > Hidden Human Labour Powering AI/, co-authored with Mark Graham and > Callum Cant. > > > Workshop: In the Belly of AI > > *Date:* Tuesday, 12 Nov 2024 | *Time:* 14:30 – 17:00 | *Location:* > Sixties Room, Churchill College, Storey’s Way, Cambridge CB3 0DS > > > Programme: > > *14:30 – 14:40* – Welcome: Professor Gina Neff, Executive Director of > Minderoo Centre for Technology & Democracy > *14:40 – 15:00* – Presentation: Professor Antonio A. Casilli, > Professor of Sociology, Institut Polytechnique de Paris and By-Fellow > Churchill College, University of Cambridge > *15:00 – 15:05* – Excerpt 1: In the Belly of AI > *15:05 – 16:00* – Roundtable: ‘Data Workers’ Inquiry: Community-led > Research into AI Labour Practices’ | Led by: Dr Adio-Adet Dinika > (Distributed AI Research Institute (DAIR)) | Discussant: Dr Alex Wood > (Sociology, University of Cambridge) > *16:00 – 16:05* – Excerpt 2: In the Belly of AI > *16:05 – 17:00* – Roundtable: ‘AI Supply Chain Capitalism: Rethinking > Algorithmic Harms Through an Environmental Lens’ | Led by: Dr Ana > Valdivia (Oxford Internet Institute and UCL Centre for Capitalism > Studies) | Discussant: Dr Debangana Bose (Geography, University of > Cambridge) > > Workshop Image > > > > Open Conversation: In the Belly of AI / Feeding the Machine > > *Date:* Tuesday, 12 Nov 2024 | *Time:* 17:30 – 18:30 BST | *Location:* > Sixties Room, Churchill College, Storey’s Way, Cambridge CB3 0DS > > > Programme: > > *17:30* – Welcome > *17:35* – Viewing: Excerpt from In the Belly of AI > *17:40-18:30* – In conversation: Professor Antonio Casilli and Dr. > James Muldoon on In the Belly of AI and Feeding the Machine** > > -- > Antonio A. Casilli > Professor, Telecom Paris | Institut Polytechnique de Paris > By-Fellow, Churchill College | University of Cambridge > My upcoming book: /Waiting for Robots. The Hired Hands of Automation/ > <https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/W/bo239039613.html> > (University of Chicago Press, 2025) > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ manutenzione della felicità comune michela murgia ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Maurizio Lana Università del Piemonte Orientale Dipartimento di Studi Umanistici Piazza Roma 36 - 13100 Vercelli

Nov. 11, 2024

Re: [nexa] Documentary "In the Belly of AI" (Online Trailer & Workshop, Cambridge, 12 Nov. 2024)

by maurizio lana

...per vederlo in Italia? Maurizio Il 10/11/24 16:56, Antonio Casilli ha scritto: > > In the Belly of AI: A Documentary on the Real Price of Automation > > > In the Belly of AI: A Documentary on the Real Price of Automation > > Online Trailer & Workshop, Cambridge, 12 Nov. 2024 > > Dear all, > > I am excited to share with you the trailer of our upcoming documentary > *In the Belly of AI* > <https://www.casilli.fr/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/In-the-Belly-of-AI-traile…>, > which examines the human and environmental costs of artificial > intelligence through the stories and experiences of the people who > shape the technologies that affect our daily lives. > > Documentary Screenshot > > The documentary is directed by *Henri Poulain*, and co-written by > *Julien Goetz* and yours truly. Officially scheduled for release in > 2025, it is produced by France Télévisions and set to be distributed > in the UK by the BBC. It has been shortlisted for the Sundance Film > Festival. > > Sundance Film Festival > > We will preview the documentary on Tuesday, November 12, 2024, at > Churchill College, University of Cambridge, as part of a workshop > co-organized with the /Minderoo Centre for Technology and Democracy/. > > The workshop will feature speakers Ana Valdivia (Oxford Internet > Institute) and Adio Dinika (Distributed AI Research Institute), along > with discussants Debangana Bose (Dept. of Geography, Cambridge) and > Alex Wood (Dept. of Sociology, Cambridge). Following the workshop, > there will be an open conversation with author James Muldoon > (University of Essex) about his new book, /Feeding the Machine: The > Hidden Human Labour Powering AI/, co-authored with Mark Graham and > Callum Cant. > > > Workshop: In the Belly of AI > > *Date:* Tuesday, 12 Nov 2024 | *Time:* 14:30 – 17:00 | *Location:* > Sixties Room, Churchill College, Storey’s Way, Cambridge CB3 0DS > > > Programme: > > *14:30 – 14:40* – Welcome: Professor Gina Neff, Executive Director of > Minderoo Centre for Technology & Democracy > *14:40 – 15:00* – Presentation: Professor Antonio A. Casilli, > Professor of Sociology, Institut Polytechnique de Paris and By-Fellow > Churchill College, University of Cambridge > *15:00 – 15:05* – Excerpt 1: In the Belly of AI > *15:05 – 16:00* – Roundtable: ‘Data Workers’ Inquiry: Community-led > Research into AI Labour Practices’ | Led by: Dr Adio-Adet Dinika > (Distributed AI Research Institute (DAIR)) | Discussant: Dr Alex Wood > (Sociology, University of Cambridge) > *16:00 – 16:05* – Excerpt 2: In the Belly of AI > *16:05 – 17:00* – Roundtable: ‘AI Supply Chain Capitalism: Rethinking > Algorithmic Harms Through an Environmental Lens’ | Led by: Dr Ana > Valdivia (Oxford Internet Institute and UCL Centre for Capitalism > Studies) | Discussant: Dr Debangana Bose (Geography, University of > Cambridge) > > Workshop Image > > > > Open Conversation: In the Belly of AI / Feeding the Machine > > *Date:* Tuesday, 12 Nov 2024 | *Time:* 17:30 – 18:30 BST | *Location:* > Sixties Room, Churchill College, Storey’s Way, Cambridge CB3 0DS > > > Programme: > > *17:30* – Welcome > *17:35* – Viewing: Excerpt from In the Belly of AI > *17:40-18:30* – In conversation: Professor Antonio Casilli and Dr. > James Muldoon on In the Belly of AI and Feeding the Machine** > > -- > Antonio A. Casilli > Professor, Telecom Paris | Institut Polytechnique de Paris > By-Fellow, Churchill College | University of Cambridge > My upcoming book: /Waiting for Robots. The Hired Hands of Automation/ > <https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/W/bo239039613.html> > (University of Chicago Press, 2025) > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ manutenzione della felicità comune michela murgia ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Maurizio Lana Università del Piemonte Orientale Dipartimento di Studi Umanistici Piazza Roma 36 - 13100 Vercelli

Nov. 10, 2024

Documentary "In the Belly of AI" (Online Trailer & Workshop, Cambridge, 12 Nov. 2024)

by Antonio Casilli

In the Belly of AI: A Documentary on the Real Price of Automation In the Belly of AI: A Documentary on the Real Price of Automation Online Trailer & Workshop, Cambridge, 12 Nov. 2024 Dear all, I am excited to share with you [ https://www.casilli.fr/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/In-the-Belly-of-AI-traile… | the trailer of our upcoming documentary In the Belly of AI ] , which examines the human and environmental costs of artificial intelligence through the stories and experiences of the people who shape the technologies that affect our daily lives. The documentary is directed by Henri Poulain , and co-written by Julien Goetz and yours truly. Officially scheduled for release in 2025, it is produced by France Télévisions and set to be distributed in the UK by the BBC. It has been shortlisted for the Sundance Film Festival. We will preview the documentary on Tuesday, November 12, 2024, at Churchill College, University of Cambridge, as part of a workshop co-organized with the Minderoo Centre for Technology and Democracy . The workshop will feature speakers Ana Valdivia (Oxford Internet Institute) and Adio Dinika (Distributed AI Research Institute), along with discussants Debangana Bose (Dept. of Geography, Cambridge) and Alex Wood (Dept. of Sociology, Cambridge). Following the workshop, there will be an open conversation with author James Muldoon (University of Essex) about his new book, Feeding the Machine: The Hidden Human Labour Powering AI , co-authored with Mark Graham and Callum Cant. Workshop: In the Belly of AI Date: Tuesday, 12 Nov 2024 | Time: 14:30 – 17:00 | Location: Sixties Room, Churchill College, Storey’s Way, Cambridge CB3 0DS Programme: 14:30 – 14:40 – Welcome: Professor Gina Neff, Executive Director of Minderoo Centre for Technology & Democracy 14:40 – 15:00 – Presentation: Professor Antonio A. Casilli, Professor of Sociology, Institut Polytechnique de Paris and By-Fellow Churchill College, University of Cambridge 15:00 – 15:05 – Excerpt 1: In the Belly of AI 15:05 – 16:00 – Roundtable: ‘Data Workers’ Inquiry: Community-led Research into AI Labour Practices’ | Led by: Dr Adio-Adet Dinika (Distributed AI Research Institute (DAIR)) | Discussant: Dr Alex Wood (Sociology, University of Cambridge) 16:00 – 16:05 – Excerpt 2: In the Belly of AI 16:05 – 17:00 – Roundtable: ‘AI Supply Chain Capitalism: Rethinking Algorithmic Harms Through an Environmental Lens’ | Led by: Dr Ana Valdivia (Oxford Internet Institute and UCL Centre for Capitalism Studies) | Discussant: Dr Debangana Bose (Geography, University of Cambridge) Open Conversation: In the Belly of AI / Feeding the Machine Date: Tuesday, 12 Nov 2024 | Time: 17:30 – 18:30 BST | Location: Sixties Room, Churchill College, Storey’s Way, Cambridge CB3 0DS Programme: 17:30 – Welcome 17:35 – Viewing: Excerpt from In the Belly of AI 17:40-18:30 – In conversation: Professor Antonio Casilli and Dr. James Muldoon on In the Belly of AI and Feeding the Machine -- Antonio A. Casilli Professor, Telecom Paris | Institut Polytechnique de Paris By-Fellow, Churchill College | University of Cambridge My upcoming book: [ https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/W/bo239039613.html | Waiting for Robots. The Hired Hands of Automation ] (University of Chicago Press, 2025)

Nov. 10, 2024

The US government wants devs to stop using C and C++ • The Register

by Enrico Nardelli

https://www.theregister.com/2024/11/08/the_us_government_wants_developers/ ... the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI announced they were doubling down on their efforts to persuade software manufacturers to abandon "memory-unsafe" programming languages such as C and C++ ... The report on Product Security Bad Practices <https://www.cisa.gov/resources-tools/resources/product-security-bad-practic…> warns software manufacturers about developing "new product lines for use in service of critical infrastructure or [national critical functions] NCFs in a memory-unsafe language (eg, C or C++) where there are readily available alternative memory-safe languages that could be used is dangerous and significantly elevates risk to national security, national economic security, and national public health and safety." In short, don't use C or C++. ... -- EN https://www.hoepli.it/libro/la-rivoluzione-informatica/9788896069516.html ====================================================== Prof. Enrico Nardelli Past President di "Informatics Europe" Direttore del Laboratorio Nazionale "Informatica e Scuola" del CINI Dipartimento di Matematica - Università di Roma "Tor Vergata" Via della Ricerca Scientifica snc - 00133 Roma home page: https://www.mat.uniroma2.it/~nardelli blog: https://link-and-think.blogspot.it/ tel: +39 06 7259.4204 fax: +39 06 7259.4699 mobile: +39 335 590.2331 e-mail: nardelli(a)mat.uniroma2.it online meeting: https://blue.meet.garr.it/b/enr-y7f-t0q-ont ====================================================== --

Nov. 9, 2024

Invito IFDAD2024 - Roma, 14 Novembre 2024

by Stefano Quintarelli

Buongiorno, segnalo, per chi è interessato al tema AI e Democrazia, il *14 novembre 2024 *come #Copernicani organizziamo a Roma l’edizione nazionale dell’International Forum on Digital & Democracy - IFDaD 2024 (a cura di @lucamonti e @stefanoquintarelli). La seconda tappa sara' nell'ambito del World AI Cannes Festival di febbraio. Qui trovate le informazioni per l’evento di Roma del 14 Novembre https://www.ifdad.org <https://www.ifdad.org/> E qui il link per iscriversi https://www.eventbrite.it/e/biglietti-la-democrazia-aumentata-il-digitale-c… In allegato la locandina dell'evento con dettagli. A presto!, s.

Nov. 9, 2024

CfP GIG-ARTS 2025: The Rise of Digital Sovereignty: Ambiguities and Challenges, 26-27 May 2025, Salerno

by Mauro SANTANIELLO

Dear colleagues, We are glad to announce that The Ninth GIG-ARTS Conference will be held at the University of Salerno on 26-27 May 2025 *.* Please find hereafter the *Call for Papers the GIG-ARTS 2025 Conference.* Feel free to disseminate this call. Submissions are already open, we are looking forward to receiving your abstracts describing your latest research work and we very much hope to see you in Salerno! Best regards, GIG-ARTS 2025 Organizing Committee ===== *9**th** GIG-ARTS Conference | **26-27 May 2025 Salerno* *The Rise of Digital Sovereignty: Ambiguities and Challenges* *Deadline for abstract submissions: 31 January 2025* The European Multidisciplinary Conference on Global Internet Governance Actors, Regulations, Transactions and Strategies (GIG-ARTS) gathers scholars and practitioners in an annual conference to debate the latest research on governing the global internet. Each conference highlights a main theme while also welcoming contributions on other aspects of global internet governance. Earlier GIG-ARTS meetings have addressed themes such as “Global Internet Governance as a Diplomacy Issue” (Paris, 2017), “Overcoming Inequalities in Internet Governance” (Cardiff, 2018), “Europe as a Global Player in Internet Governance” (Salerno, 2019), “Online Information Governance” (Vienna, 2021), “Global Internet Governance and International Human Rights” (Nicosia, 2022), and “The Governance of Cybersecurity: Resilience, Human Rights and Democracy” (Padua, 2023), “Thirty Years of Multistakeholderism in Internet Governance: Assessments and Prospects” (The Hague 2024). *GIG-ARTS 2025* The Ninth GIG-ARTS Conference, to be held at the University of Salerno on 26-27 May 2025, takes as its main theme “The Rise of Digital Sovereignty: Ambiguities and Challenges.” The concept of digital sovereignty has gained increasing attention and importance in recent years, driven by a complex array of political and economic motivations, geopolitical tensions, and technological developments. The idea of state sovereignty, once largely limited to territorial boundaries, is now being reimagined and redefined within the context of the digital age. National governments and non-state actors alike are struggling with the need to exert control over data, digital infrastructures, and technological ecosystems, while simultaneously navigating the challenges posed by the global nature of the internet and the influence of digital corporations. The increasing centrality of digital infrastructure in economic development, national security, and societal well-being has led many governments to reassess their role in regulating and controlling digital networks. This reassessment has been especially prominent in the face of growing reliance on foreign technology providers, concerns over data privacy, and disruptions of global supply chains. Nations like China, Russia, and the European Union have developed policies aimed at asserting their digital sovereignty, each motivated by distinct yet interrelated factors, including national security, economic protectionism, and the safeguarding of fundamental rights. Digital sovereignty is thus positioned as both a response to external vulnerabilities and an assertion of strategic autonomy in an increasingly digital world. Also in the United States of America, the traditional model of internet governance based on private sector leadership, business self-regulation, and global economic competition has been called into question by recent policy initiatives, such as the Huawei ban, restrictions on Chinese apps, the CLOUD Act, and the Chips and Science Act. Furthermore, many digital sovereignty conceptualizations go beyond a state-centric framework. One prominent perspective focuses on digital sovereignty from a grassroots point of view, which emphasizes the capacity of local communities, indigenous groups, civil society, and individuals to control their digital futures. These perspectives advocate for decentralized and community-driven approaches to digital governance, challenging both state and corporate dominance. Additionally, there are emerging discussions around corporate digital sovereignty as the tech giants' ability to become autonomous in their productive cycle (managing their own cables, data servers, storage farms etc.), or more broadly their ability to operate across borders, shaping global digital ecosystems and influencing governance decisions in ways that rival or even surpass state authorities. Finally, there are interpretations of digital sovereignty in terms of the sovereignty of cyberspace in itself, meant as self-governance by native digital institutions representing the so-called Internet Community. The pursuit of digital sovereignty generates significant tensions, particularly between the desire for national control and the need for international and multistakeholder cooperation, and despite its growing prominence, digital sovereignty remains a deeply contested concept. As a result, digital sovereignty is marked by several ambiguities and contradictions, which reflect the complexity of regulating the digital world. One prominent contradiction lies in the interplay between national autonomy and the extraterritorial projection of power. While governments seek to assert control over their digital landscapes, they also engage in actions that extend their influence beyond national borders, such as imposing data localization rules that have far-reaching implications for international businesses, or enacting digital policies that affect global internet governance. Additionally, digital sovereignty presents a paradox between constitutionalism and authoritarianism. On the one hand, some countries advocate for digital sovereignty as a necessary condition to constitutionalize the digital realm, ensuring that fundamental rights such as privacy and freedom of expression are upheld. On the other hand, the same concept can be used to justify authoritarian practices, such as state censorship, surveillance, and the restriction of access to information. This conference aims to foster a critical dialogue on the rise of digital sovereignty, addressing its motivations, ambiguities, and contradictions. We invite papers that provide both theoretical insights and empirical analyses, drawing from a wide range of disciplines, including political science, law, economics, communication, science and technology studies. Participants will have the opportunity to engage in discussions that explore the future of digital sovereignty and its role in shaping the global digital order. Therefore, the Ninth GIG-ARTS Conference especially welcomes papers that address the sorts of questions listed below. We aim to compile a selection of contributions in a journal special issue and/or an edited volume. - Defining digital sovereignty: Conceptual frameworks and theories - Comparative perspectives on digital sovereignty - The economy of digital sovereignty: Protectionism vs. global digital integration - The geopolitics of digital sovereignty - Digital sovereignty and digital constitutionalism - Digital sovereignty and national security - Motivations and implications of data localization, network territorialization, and platform regulation - Digital sovereignty and digital colonialism, authoritarianism, and imperialism - The role of international organizations (WTO, ITU, etc.) in digital sovereignty - Tech standardization and sovereignty: Competing global norms - Global digital supply chains and strategic autonomy - Cybersecurity, weaponization, and digital sovereignty - Digital sovereignty and emerging technologies - Digital sovereignty and environmental issues - Digital sovereignty and Internet fragmentation As always, alongside the main theme, the GIG-ARTS conference also welcomes papers on other aspects of internet governance. *Submission information* Authors are invited to submit their extended abstracts (no longer than 500 words), describing their research question(s), theoretical framework, approach and methodology, expected findings or empirical outcome. Submitted abstracts will be evaluated through a peer-review process. Abstracts and authors’ information should be submitted through https://conftool2025.gig-arts.eu/ *Key dates* - Deadline for abstract submissions: 31 January 2025 - Notification to authors: 1 April 2025 - Deadline for author registration (at least one author must register for a selected presentation to appear on the programme): 14 April 2025 - Programme publication: 20 April 2025 - Registration deadline: 15 May 2025 - Conference dates: 26-27 May 2025 *Co-Sponsors* Internet & Communication Policy Center (ICPC) https://www.internetpolicyresearch.eu/ Salerno Winter School on Internet Governance (SWING) https://www.internetpolicyresearch.eu/swing-2025 Digital Constitutionalism Network (DCN) https://digitalconstitutionalism.org Italian Ministry of University and Research Grant PRIN 2022KTTSBC - CUP Master D53D23007300006 Digital Sovereignty in Comparative Perspective: State Authority, Corporate Power and Fundamental Rights in Cyberspace *Programme Committee* Carolina Aguerre, Berna Akcali Gur, Francesco Amoretti, Luca Belli, Dennis Broeders, Stanislav Budnitsky, Andrea Calderaro, Olga Cavalli, Eduardo Celeste, Jean-Marie Chenou, Laura DeNardis, Dmitry Epstein, Marianne Franklin, Iginio Gagliardone, Orsolya Gulyas, Blayne Haggart, Sophie Hoogenboom, Min Jiang, Rikke Frank Joergensen, Hortense Jongen, Matthias C.Kettemann, Nanette Levinson, Robin Mansell, Meryem Marzouki, Francesca Musiani, Ricardo Nanni, Claudia Padovani, Clément Perarnaud, Julia Pohle, Dennis Redeker, Michele Rioux, Jamal Shahin, Mauro Santaniello, Katharine Sarikakis, Yves Schemeil, Jan Aart Scholte, Niels ten Oever, Nadia Tjahja, Natasha Tusikov. *Organizing Committee* Chairs: Francesco Amoretti, Nicola Palladino, Mauro Santaniello Local Team: Carlos Andrés Fonseca Diaz, Nascia Tatiana Fera, Armando Antonio Ferrara, Gerardo Ferrentino, Serena Fraiese, Chiara Spiniello, Grace X. Yang. *Venue* GIG-ARTS 2025 will be held at the University of Salerno, Campus of Fisciano. *Conference Registration and Fees* Registration fees for the Ninth GIG-ARTS Conference are 120€ for regular participants and 60€ for students showing proof of status. Conference fees (non-refundable) cover a participant kit as well as coffee breaks, lunches, and reception. Registration deadline is 15 May 2025. *Communication Channels* - Website: www.gig-arts.eu - Email for information: events(a)gig-arts.eu - Submissions: https://conftool2025.gig-arts.eu/ - X/Twitter: @GigArtsEU - Hashtag: #GIGARTS25 - Mailing list for updates: https://gig-arts.eu/mailman/listinfo/mailinglist_gig-arts.eu Prof. Mauro Santaniello (PhD) Associate Professor in Political Science ICPC <https://www.internetpolicyresearch.eu/> Director| GIG-ARTS <https://gig-arts.eu/> Coordinator| SWING <https://www.internetpolicyresearch.eu/swing-2025> Scientific Coordinator UNU-CRIS <https://cris.unu.edu/people> Associate Research Fellow | PRIN on Digital Sovereignty <https://www.internetpolicyresearch.eu/internet-and-communication-policy-cen…> Principal Investigator Latest publications <https://docenti.unisa.it/023694/ricerca/pubblicazioni>

Nov. 9, 2024