Humlab

Humlabhttps://www.umu.se/Humlab eventsen-usWed, 21 Oct 2026 20:15:20 +0200https://www.umu.se/en/events/gods-of-data-an-atheist-critique-of-ai_12196980/Gods of Data: An Atheist Critique of AIWith Carl Öhman, associate professor of political science at Uppsala University, SwedenTue, 27 Oct 2026 13:15:00 +0100This event is a collaboration between Humlab and the higher seminar in religion and theology.  With: Carl Öhman, Uppsala UniversityAI systems have become the deities of the information age. Not in the sense that they are supernatural or worshipped, but in the sense that, like all gods, they personify the accumulated power of society over the individual, the past over the present: Just like the primordial totemic gods synthesized the mana of the tribe into a unified agency, today’s AI systems synthesize data into what is experienced as an extra-human force. In his forthcoming book, philosopher and AI ethicist Carl Öhman elaborates on technical symmetry between AI systems and divinity, but also shows how the ancient tradition of religious critique can help us understand the spiritual dangers posed by our “new” systems. By applying the religious philosophy of thinkers such as Freud, Marx, and Nietzsche to burgeoning AI applications like parenting coaches, romantic matchmakers, and political chatbots, Öhman explores how modern AI systems cultivate a new form of spiritual corruption: Like immaculate gods, AI can improve our lives in countless ways, but only at a profound cost—they may no longer be our lives. BioCarl Öhman is an associate professor of political science at Uppsala University, Sweden. His research focuses on AI and social/political theory, but also draws on anthropology, comparative literature, and media studies. He is the author of The Afterlife of Data (Chicago, 2024), listed among the best books of 2024 in Nature, The Guardian, and The Economist, and of the forthcoming Gods of Data: An Atheist Critique of AI (also with Chicago). <div class="epi-contentfragment">Registration Humlab Talk hybrid</div>   Humlab / ZoomLecturehttps://www.umu.se/en/events/gods-of-data-an-atheist-critique-of-ai_12196980/2026-10-27T13:15:00+01:002026-10-27T15:00:00+01:00https://www.umu.se/en/events/data-management-plan_12195870/Data management planHumlab and the library research data team offer a workshop on writing data management plans (DMPs).Wed, 04 Nov 2026 10:00:00 +0100Humlab and the library research data team offer a workshop on writing data management plans (DMPs).During the workshop, you will, with support and guidance, work with your own DMP in DMP-online (<a href="https://umu.dmponline.dcc.ac.uk/">https://umu.dmponline.dcc.ac.uk/</a>).The goal is that after this workshop, you will have created a first version of your DMP, which you can then continue to work on and develop.Register using the form below.   HumlabWorkshophttps://www.umu.se/en/events/data-management-plan_12195870/2026-11-04T10:00:00+01:002026-11-04T11:45:00+01:00https://www.umu.se/en/events/dhnb-2027-humanities-in-the-loop_12181982/DHNB 2027: Human(ities) in the LoopConference placing the humanities and social sciences at the center of technological development.Mon, 01 Mar 2027 09:00:00 +0100DHNB conferences focus on research, education and communication in the interdisciplinary field of digital humanities in the Nordic and Baltic regions and beyond. The conference has a history of bringing together academics, researchers, students, and professionals with an interest in applying digital methods to research relevant to humanities, social sciences and arts. DHNB invites contributions from all domains of digital humanities.<h2>SPECIAL THEME 2027</h2>The DHNB2027 conference and pre-conference activities will take place from March 1–5, 2027 at Umeå University, Sweden. The special theme of DHNB2027 is Human(ities) in the Loop and draws on the concept of “human in the loop”, that highlights the role of humans in the workflow of AI technologies, but broadens the perspective to better include the important role that the humanities play in understanding historical and contemporary technological and societal systems.With this theme, we encourage contributions that explore the role of the humanities and social sciences and place them at the center of technological development rather than the other way around.<a href="https://dhnb.eu/conferences/dhnb2027/">Read more and register</a>Umeå University, Humanities buildingConferencehttps://www.umu.se/en/events/dhnb-2027-humanities-in-the-loop_12181982/2027-03-01T09:00:00+01:002027-03-05T15:00:00+01:00