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Web Science Institute

Research themes

Discover the range of our research, which covers everything from ethics and governance to the role of artificial intelligence.

Our research covers a number of areas:

  • democratic futures
  • digital futures
  • data trusts
  • human-centered artificial intelligence
  • online health
  • new forms of knowledge
  • social and embodied artificial intelligence
  • trust and artificial intelligence

Democratic futures

We examine how changes in automation, interaction and data-sharing can affect free and equal public spaces for work, play and learning.

Digital futures

This focuses on how today's digital transformations are shaping the future, and how we might intervene in these processes to support an inclusive and productive outlook for all.

Data trusts

We investigate issues around protecting people's privacy and security online, and explore fair and trustworthy ways of data sharing.

Human-centered artificial intelligence (AI)

We examine AI techniques, how to address social problems through AI, and managing the disruptive effects of AI on social infrastructure.

Online health

We explore opportunities to develop phone and social networking technologies as health interventions.

New forms of knowledge

We take an interdisciplinary approach to working with digital data. Our robust methodologies make it useful for researchers, government, industry and civil society.

Social and embodied artificial intelligence

We research areas such as AI and immersive media, the cultural history of the Web and AI, and AI art and musical improvisation algorithms as social machines.

Trustworthy artificial intelligence

Exploring the aspect of trustworthiness in relation to AI and automated decision-making (ADM).

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