The Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) has maintained a close partnership with Tongji University in Shanghai, China, for over 10 years. Part of the cooperation is, among other things, an exchange program that enables researchers from both universities to get in touch with each other and learn from each other.
On July 12 and 13, 2024, the exchange took place in person for the first time since the pandemic. Six members of staff from Shanghai University came to KIT to join local researchers in a two-day workshop dedicated to the cultural studies approach to artificial intelligence. Media and literary studies, philosophical, rhetorical and linguistic perspectives on AI were examined and discussed from a cultural studies perspective. The workshop was organized by the Institute of German Studies at KIT. As representatives of the RHET AI Center, Monika Hanauska and Anna Köhler took part and both gave a presentation. Monika Hanauska on the topic "Trau, schau wem? — Vertrauenskonstruktion in medialen Diskursen zu Künstlicher Intelligenz" (Trust, see whom? — construction of trust in medial discourses around Artificial Intelligence) and Anna Köhler about "Persuasive Algorithmen – Eine Frage des Ethos?" (Persuasive Algorithms — a question of ethos?).
The participants of the research stay enjoyed the intensive exchange and were able to take away new perspectives and trains of thought. There are plans to continue the exchange bilaterally. Due to the positive feedback, the exchange program will continue to take place, so that researchers from KIT will be guests in Shanghai in July 2025.