The year kicked off with a trip across the pond, where the Project Lead, Dr. Franziska Poszler, was invited to participate in the TECH ETHICS FORUM, organized by one of our funding partners, the Notre Dame–IBM Technology Ethics Lab.
During the two-day forum (January 22–23, 2025), which took place at the University of Notre Dame headquarters in Indiana, Dr. Poszler presented MoralPLai to a diverse audience from around the world and elaborated on key milestones.
“Does anyone use ChatGPT as a therapist? Is it concerning that I rely on ChatGPT for emotional support because I struggle to discuss my problems with friends?” These are not my questions to you… but actual quotes—real questions raised by users on platforms like Reddit and Quora. Even though LLM-based chatbots weren’t intended or built to provide ethical advice, it seems that people are considering using them not only for purely informational queries but also for discussing and addressing deeply personal issues, some of which have ethical dimensions. In theory and research, academics have started investigating to what extent LLM-based chatbots could provide moral guidance or respond to moral dilemmas—with ambiguous results.” — Dr. Franziska Poszler
Sharing Key Milestones and Project Updates
Dr. Poszler introduced the team, which has expanded to include additional international cooperation partners, industry collaborations and seven assisting students who support the core team with data collection, outreach activities and event organization. She also spoke about the launch of a course in which students develop their own research-based artistic output.
During her pitch, she shared key milestones, including securing a location for the theatrical play in the heart of Munich (Amerikahaus), co-hosting an event on Generative AI and responsible design at IBM’s Munich offices and the progress being made regarding the data collection and analysis. Finally, she outlined the next steps of the project which include: finalizing data collection, casting, rehearsals and the final performance.
Dr. Poszler was invited to participate in a panel discussion, where the relationship between universities, students, and industry in shaping Responsible AI was explored. The panel speakers addressed key challenges in implementing Responsible AI, such as accountability issues and the responsibilities of end users alongside developing companies.
“Looking ahead, the role of our students – as future employees, managers, entrepreneurs, policymakers, educators etc. – will be essential in upholding and shaping Responsible AI. As university teachers, we have the opportunity to enhance students’ critical thinking skills and ethical sensitivity when confronted with AI development.”— Dr. Franziska Poszler
During her stay in Indiana, Dr. Poszler met with a core team member, Prof. Cary Kresny from the Department of Film, Television, and Theatre at the University of Notre Dame. They discussed the initial research findings and worked on the development of the play, with Prof. Kresny providing support in scriptwriting and directing.
Team Meeting and Future Steps
All these developments, along with the latest updates and next steps, were shared with our assisting students during virtual and in-person meetings throughout the first month of the year.
Moreover, during our January meeting with the student assistants, the team had the opportunity to update everyone on recent tasks, interesting research papers providing valuable insights into our topic, research methods used in similar projects and new initiatives. One such initiative is the Weekly AI News Briefing among team members, allowing everyone to stay updated on the latest developments in LLM research, regulatory changes, and emerging tools—such as the latest release of DeepSeek’s model.
We’re kicking off February with another exciting trip to Canada—stay tuned for more details!
For more information regarding the Tech Ethics CFP 2025 Program, click here.
Visit the MoralPLai Project webpage to learn more.