IEAI Research Associate Dr. Franziska Poszler Places First: Roman Herzog Research Prize for Social Market Economy

The Roman Herzog Institute was founded in 2002 on the initiative of former Federal President Roman Herzog and Professor Randolf Rodenstock.  On May 27, 2025, it awarded the Roman Herzog Research Prize for the Social Market Economy for the twelfth time at the Literaturhaus in Munich. The award recognizes three current scientific research projects that contribute to shaping our economic and social order.

At the event, Prof. Randolf Rodenstock, Roman Herzog Institute Chairman, stated: “The three scientists honored today provide first-class and valuable impulses with their research work on how we can organize the foundations of our coexistence in a forward-looking manner”.

The afternoon was moderated by Sybille Giel. Prof. Stefan Hradil gave the laudatory speech for Poszler’s dissertation. In the generational talk, Prof. Randolf Rodenstock, Prof. Julian Nida-Rümelin, Dr. Fabian Eichberger, Dr. Yannick Bury and Dr. Franziska Poszler discussed why the social market economy continues to be relevant and what reforms are necessary to ensure its long-term sustainability, while also examining which fundamental principles should remain unchanged. In closing, each speaker shared their personal vision for society in 2040 and how they are actively supporting the goals outlined.

The first prize and a cash award of 20,000 euros went to Dr. Franziska Poszler for her dissertation “Integrating Ethical Principles into AI Systems: Practical Implementation and Societal Implications”. The dissertation, which was supervised by Prof. Christoph Lütge, examines how ethical decision-making principles can be integrated into AI systems. In particular, the work focuses on self-driving vehicles.

The dissertation emphasizes that companies, especially in the age of artificial intelligence, carry responsibility not only toward their shareholders and customers, but also toward society as a whole. For example, in the case of automobile manufacturers, this responsibility extends beyond drivers and passengers within self-driving vehicles to include external (and particularly vulnerable) road users such as cyclists and pedestrians. To address this, the dissertation examines the societal implications of integrating ethical decision-making principles into AI systems, highlighting both the potential benefits, such as promoting fairness through the proactive consideration of morally relevant factors, and the risks, including the reinforcement of human biases. Finally, the dissertation offers concrete suggestions for developing such AI systems in a responsible and human-centered manner.

The second prize was awarded to Dr. Yannick Bury and third prize went to Dr. Fabian Eichberger.

Find out more (in German) on the website of the Roman Herzog Institute and in the video below: