Austrian Commission for UNESCO

• 22 January 2026
• 18:30–20:00 CET

Against the backdrop of the EU AI Act and the European Commission’s Digital Omnibus proposal, the event ‘Artificial Intelligence, Democracy and Human Rights’ explores the multifaceted impacts of AI on contemporary society, with a particular focus on human rights and democracy.

In her lightning talk The concept of ‘AI system’ under the EU AI Act, Christiane Wendehorst provides key insights into why the definition of an AI system is of crucial importance for the protection of fundamental and human rights.

An interdisciplinary panel bringing together experts from the fields of technology, law and the social sciences will then discuss the regulatory frameworks and strategic approaches required to ensure the responsible and equitable development and use of AI in a European (and global) context, with a view to safeguarding fundamental and human rights. The discussion will conclude with a Q&A session with the audience, followed by an informal get-together.

Programme

18:30 CET	Welcome:  Martin Fritz (Secretary-General of the Austrian Commission for UNESCO) Kristina Maurer (Expert for Digital Humanism, Vienna Business Agency)
18:40 CET	Lightning Talk ‘The concept of ‘AI system’ under the EU AI Act’:  Christiane Wendehorst, Professor of Civil Law (University of Vienna)
19:00 CET	Panel Discussion with: Christine Gajo, Postdoctoral Researcher at the Centre for European Integration Research (University of Vienna) Peter Knees, Professor for Information Processing and Retrieval & UNESCO Chair in Digital Humanism (TU Wien) David Reichel, Head of Data and Digital Sector (Fundamental Rights Agency) Christiane Wendehorst, Professor of Civil Law (University of Vienna) Moderator: Anastasia Lopez (News Journalist & Fact Checker)
19:45 CET	Q&A
20:00 CET	Get-together

The event will take place at the Otto Wagner Postsparkasse, 1010 Vienna. Participation is possible only upon prior registration. Please contact Christine Maaß: maass@unesco.at. The language of the event is English.

Background

The Austrian Commission for UNESCO serves as the national coordination and liaison office of UNESCO. In 2023, the Commission established the Advisory Committee on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence. This expert body supports the implementation of the UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence (2021) in Austria and fosters the dialogue on the societal impacts of the technology. The UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence is the first-ever global standard on AI ethics and promotes a human-centred approach to AI. 

The event is funded by the Austrian Federal Ministry of Women, Science and Research, and the Vienna Business Agency.