The Coffee Talk Series is a weekly format hosted by the TUM Think Tank, where Friedrich Schiedel Fellows present their projects and engage in open, informal and creative discussions with participants from diverse disciplines.
On June 3rd, Dr. Franziska Poszler (MoralPLai Project Lead and Friedrich Schiedel Fellow–Batch 1) explored the question “Can theater help shape the ethics of AI?” in her talk titled “Research-based Theatre – An Innovative Method for Communicating and Co-Shaping Research & Development in AI Ethics”.
During her presentation, Dr. Poszler presented key insights and findings from the MoralPLai Project, shared a recap video of the May 22nd performance and behind-the-scenes moments, and highlighted reflections from the follow-up event held at the TUM Think Tank the next day. She also invited participants to actively engage by reading and discussing excerpts from The Third Voice, the theater script and artistic outcome of the MoralPLai project.
“How can we make scientific insights on AI ethics accessible and foster AI literacy in ways that truly engage the broader public? Could artistic approaches such as theater provide an effective way forward? This is what we investigated during my Fellowship and within the MoralPLai project: We developed ‘The Third Voice’, a research-based play that explores the complexities of using AI chatbots for moral and emotional support.” – Dr. Franziska Poszler
Following her talk, Franziska Poszler joined the TUM Think Tank team for a short interview, reflecting on the conversations she hopes her work will inspire, the connections she is eager to build at TUM and the surprising collaborations she has already discovered, alongside the new opportunities she still envisions within the academic community and beyond.
“Anyone who is interested in extending the efforts of the MoralPLai project, whether that is adapting the play into a different language or into a different format such as film, please reach out and we can see where the MoralPLai project takes us next.” – Dr. Franziska Poszler
Summarizing her reflections, Dr. Poszler emphasized the two central aims of the MoralPLai project: first, to explore the advantages and limitations of AI chatbots as moral dialog partners, with particular attention to their responsible design and use; and second, to examine how research-based theater can serve as a powerful tool to engage with these questions and promote AI literacy. She also highlighted the role of the TUM Think Tank and the Friedrich Schiedel Fellowship in enabling collaboration with key stakeholders crucial to this work. While the first cycle of MoralPLai concluded with the performance of The Third Voice on May 22nd, 2025, the team is eager to launch a second phase and warmly invites interested partners to join forces in shaping the next chapter of the project.
You can watch the entire video here.
Learn more about the Coffee Talk Series.
Learn more about the Friedrich Schiedel Fellowship.
