The Philosophy of AI Online Colloquium is a series of colloquium style talks focused on philosophical issues surrounding AI technology. (The colloquium was earlier called Uppsala Vienna AI Colloquium.)
Each talk will focus on a specific issue of relevance to AI systems (e.g., intelligence, agency, responsibility, etc.) and will be delivered by an expert with research background on the topic. The intended audience of the talks are philosophically informed individuals with an interest in the philosophy of artificial intelligence.
The schedule of talks for Academic year 2026-27 is as follows:
2 October 2026, 1500 Hrs CET: Pii Telaviki, “Same Technology, Different Stakes: Positioning AI Chatbots Across the Therapeutic Process”
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Can AI serve as a remedy for the global mental health crisis? The newest therapy apps are built on the same LLMs that power companion bots and other sociality mimicking applications. How should a therapy bot be integrated into the therapeutic process so that it is as beneficial as possible and causes the fewest risks? Drawing on Don Ihde’s (1990) four types of technological mediation – embodiment, hermeneutic, alterity, and background relations – I show that therapy chatbots can be used in many ways, depending on where they are situated within the therapeutic process, ranging from autonomous, unsupervised use to use as a clinical tool under therapist oversight, or as a supportive resource for helpline volunteers. These different configurations illustrate how the same technology can create radically different experiential structures, and correspondingly different mental health benefits and risks, depending on its positioning within the process.
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To participate, send an email to nikhil.mahant[AT]uwa.edu.au expressing your interest. We will add you to the mailing list.