Postdoc Trustworthy Human-AI Interaction for Media and Democracy (m/f/x)

Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica (CWI) has a vacancy in the Distributed & Interactive Systems (DIS) research group for a

Postdoc on the subject of Trustworthy Human-AI Interaction for Media and Democracy (m/f/x)

We are looking for a talented postdoc who is interested in trustworthy and transparent human-AI interactions, in the context of news media and journalism.

A 2-year fixed-term full time Postdoc position is available at the Distributed & Interactive Systems (DIS) research group at CWI. This project is a collaboration between CWI and the AI, Media, and Democracy (AIMD) lab in Amsterdam. You will be working under the supervision of Dr. Abdallah El Ali and Prof.dr. Pablo Cesar, where you will be embedded within the AIMD lab.

Job description

The AI, Media and Democracy (AIMD) ELSA Lab’s aim is to set up an experimental space and testbed for novel ways of applying AI in the media. Journalists, media professionals, designers, citizens, researchers and public and societal partners bring in their challenges in using AI in the media. The lab investigates how AI-driven applications in the media change the public sphere, civic engagement and economic competition, and explores novel ways of applying AI in the media. The Distributed & Interactive Systems (DIS) research group at CWI combines data science with a strong human-centric, empirical approach to understand the experience of users. This enables us to design and develop next generation intelligent and empathic systems. We base our results on realistic testing grounds and data sets, and embrace areas such as ubiquitous and affective computing, human-centered multimedia systems, and human-AI interaction.

Encounters with AI-generated content can impact the human experience of algorithms, and more broadly the psychology of Human–AI interaction. In particular, AI system disclosures can influence users’ perceptions of media content. There is a growing concern that as generative AI becomes more widely used, manipulated content could easily spread false information. As a key step toward mitigating harms and risk, a key recent mitigation effort involves the European Al Act Proposition “Transparency Obligations for Providers and Users of Certain AI Systems and GPAI Models”, which seeks to address the issue of AI system transparency.

The research scope broadly addresses the effective, trustworthy, and transparent communication of AI system disclosures. We aim to account for ethical and legal considerations, design and human factors perspectives, as well as policy recommendations. As such, this role may involve relevant stakeholders where necessary, ranging from media organizations, policy makers, as well as AI researchers and practitioners. The initial focus is on the end-user (media consumer) perspective, and at later stages, on the perspective of the media organizations and the generative AI media production process itself. For this postdoc, we are specifically interested in how trust in AI systems can be garnered by focusing on creating better user interfaces and/or understanding human-AI system interactions at a cognitive, behavioral, and physiological level. By establishing user-centric designs for transparent AI disclosures, we can take steps toward ensuring a well-functioning democratic society.

We expect the postdoc researcher to be embedded within the AI, Media, and Democracy lab, which is located in Amsterdam’s city center.

Topics of interest include:

• Intelligent visualization techniques, adaptive user interfaces (UI), and content personalization, that allows tailoring users’ experience of the UI and media content as well as any associated disclosures and/or explanations
• User behavioral and physiological sensing techniques for human-AI interaction, that can help predict the right balance between information overload and the essential information to be communicated to users to build user trust in systems employing generative AI
• Developing and evaluating novel user interfaces for journalism that incorporate meaningful disclosure mechanisms for generative AI, from news production to audience engagement, to ensure user agency and autonomy
• Designing and evaluating explainability interfaces for journalists and editors working with AI to ensure responsible decision making
• Empirical studies (online and/or lab-based) to understand the relationship between AI disclosures and how people perceived AI content, for both users and media organization

Requirements

Depending on the specific topic of interest, candidates are required to have completed their PhD in computer science, human-computer interaction, industrial design, cognitive science, or a related field. We specifically seek candidates with a strong interest in physiological sensing and signal processing, information visualization, and/or human-centered AI. Ideally, the candidate has worked already on topics related to the social, ethical, or information presentation aspects of AI in the media sector. Candidates are expected to have publications in top HCI venues such as CHI, CSCW, UbiComp / ISWC, IEEE Vis, FAccT, IUI, or related venues.

Needed qualifications for candidates include proven research talent, strong technical background, and good academic writing and presentation skills. Candidates are expected to have an excellent command of English.

Terms and conditions

The terms of employment are in accordance with the Dutch Collective Labour Agreement for Research Centres ("CAO-onderzoeksinstellingen"). The gross monthly salary for an employee on a full time basis, depending on relevant work experience, ranges from € 4.218 to € 5.141. The appointment will be for a period of two years.

Employees are also entitled to a holiday allowance of 8% of the gross annual salary and a year-end bonus of 8.33%. CWI offers attractive working conditions, including flexible scheduling.

Please visit our websites for more information about our terms of employment:

https://www.cwi.nl/jobs/terms-of-employment  and

https://www.nwo-i.nl/en/working-at-nwo-i/jobsatnwoi/

Information and application

All applications should include a detailed resume, motivation letter, and contact details of (at least) three references. For residents outside the EER-area, a TOEFL English language test might be required.

The deadline for the first application round is 1 September 2024. To apply, use the application button at the end of the job text. Applications will be considered in rounds until the position is filled.

For more information about the vacancy, please contact Dr. Abdallah El Ali (aea@cwi.nl) and Prof.dr. Pablo Cesar (P.S.Cesar@cwi.nl)

CWI encourages a diverse workforce: we endeavour to develop talent and creativity by bringing people from diverse backgrounds and cultures together. We recruit and select based on capabilities and talent. We strongly encourage everyone with the appropriate qualifications to apply for the vacancy, regardless of age, gender, origin, sexual orientation or physical abilities.

Diversity code

CWI encourages a diverse workforce: we endeavour to develop talent and creativity by bringing people from different backgrounds and cultures together. We recruit and select based on capabilities and talent. We strongly encourage everyone with the appropriate qualifications to apply for the vacancy, regardless of age, gender, origin, sexual orientation or physical abilities.

About CWI

Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica (CWI) is the Dutch national research institute for mathematics and computer science and is part of the Institutes Organisation of the Dutch Research Council (NWO). The mission of CWI is to conduct pioneering research in mathematics and computer science, generating new knowledge in these fields and conveying it to trade, industry, and society at large.

CWI is an internationally oriented institute, with 160 scientists from approximately 27 countries, an informal atmosphere and short lines of communication. We have an activity committee that organizes after-work activities and an informal women’s network.  

CWI is located at Science Park Amsterdam, the home of AMS-IX, that is presently developing into a major location of research in the physical sciences in The Netherlands, housing the sciences of the University of Amsterdam as well as several other national research institutes next to CWI.

About Research group

To learn more about the Distributed & Interactive Systems (DIS) research group you can visit our website at:

https://www.dis.cwi.nl/