Pierre-Alexandre Balland: The Geography of AI

Over the past decade, the concept of "artificial intelligence" AI has permeated every aspect of our lives. It has become ubiquitous, from social media algorithms shaping our online experiences to life-saving medical technologies pushing the boundaries of healthcare. The potential of AI to revolutionize and disrupt our society is immense, and its impact cannot be underestimated. But what about the pros, the cons, the winners and losers of this technological revolution, and how can we consider the role geography plays within it all?

Lecture by Pierre-Alexandre Balland. Balland is a French economist and one of Europe’s leading experts on complex systems, the future of cities, artificial intelligence and blockchain technologies. He is a Professor at Utrecht University and previously held positions at MIT and UCLA. He is a Visiting Professor at the Artificial and Natural Intelligence Toulouse Institute and a research fellow at the Center for Complex Systems Studies. Pierre-Alex is also a high-level policy expert that currently serves in the ESIR group to advise the European Commission on innovation policy.

Commentator: Andres Rodriguez-Pose, Professor Economic Geography, London School of Economics and Professor II UiS Business School.

Moderator: Silje Haus-Reve, associate professor at University of Stavanger Business School