Speaker Series of the Minerva Fast Track Research Group "Artificial Justice" - Virtual Lecture with Giovanni Sileno

"The Case for Normware"

 Thursday, 5 March 2026, 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. (CET)

About the Speaker:

Giovanni Sileno is an Assistant Professor in the Socially Intelligent Artificial Systems (SIAS) group at the University of Amsterdam (UvA) and a member of the Civic AI Lab. An electronic engineer with a PhD in AI & Law and postdoctoral experience in cognitive systems and computational data governance, he works across various tracks in AI, computer science, and socio-technical systems research. Currently serving as the Director of the Bachelor in Information Science, he is dedicated to reframing the computational education program toward responsible digital innovation.

About the Topic:

With the increasing digitalization of society, research and debate surrounding the intersection of computational systems and regulation have grown significantly. However, most arguments and solutions continue to be centered on established computational infrastructures or formal frameworks rather than addressing more fundamental mechanisms. To move beyond this conceptual limitation, he proposes adopting “normware” as an explicit, additional stance—complementary to software and hardware—for the interpretation and design of artificial devices. This talk highlights the opportunities presented by normware-centered engineering, as well as the unique challenges it brings to the foreground.

About the Speaker Series:

The Speaker Series of the Minerva Fast Track Research Group "Artificial Justice" is organized by Katharina Isabel Schmidt. The Series invites guest speakers who work at the intersection between law, computer science, and the humanities. Neither technical nor juristic knowledge is a prerequisite for participation—the Series is aimed at anyone with an interest in critical and interdisciplinary perspectives on "Law and AI". The event takes place on Zoom and is scheduled to last one hour.