FrankenstAIn Conference

At a glance:

* Inaugural two-day philosophy of AI and technology conference in Ingolstadt, Germany. 

* Call for Abstracts 

* Essay Prize

Overview of FrankenstAIn Conference:

In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein novel, the protagonist, Victor Frankenstein, creates an artificial agent that ends up escaping the control of its creator. The analogy with AI is clear. And the novel can therefore be read as a cautionary tale about the rapid and unpredictable consequences of creating agents that we do not properly understand and that do not align with our values. 

The novel thus raises a host of questions that are today relevant for the philosophy and ethics of artificial intelligence, as well as the responsible use of technology more generally. Shelley sets her novel in Ingolstadt. And Victor Frankenstein would have studied at buildings recently renovated and now used by KU Eichstätt-Ingolstadt. These include the 15th-century Hohe Schule (High School) and the 18th-century Old Anatomy building in which the conference will take place. The aim of the conference is to bring together academics from various disciplines working in the philosophy of AI and technology. The event is set against the backdrop of Shelley’s novel. And participants will have the opportunity to participate in a ‘city walk’ and a visit to the Medical History Museum where they will learn more about the historical and technological context in which the novel is set. The conference marks the first in an annual conference-series on the topic. 

Call for Abstracts (250-500 words):

We welcome submissions on the philosophy of AI and the responsible development, deployment, and use of technologies. The idea is to use Shelley’s novel as a source of inspiration to explore new and important areas of AI research, or to offer different perspectives on current ones. Talks need not explicitly engage with the novel (though this is of course very welcome) as long as they tackle themes, questions, and formats that are to some extent relevant to the novel. 

In addition, we welcome submissions that contextualise these debates within a broader cultural and historical framework, as well as work on topics in the philosophy of fiction/film/sci-fi and philosophical aesthetics. We hope that the conference will allow for an historically-informed philosophical exploration of the future of AI through the images and ideas that determine our relationship to the things we create – especially when they develop a dynamic of their own and seem to escape our control.

We are open to submissions from a range of different disciplines and perspectives. The only necessary criterion being that papers must be philosophically informed. Potential areas of interest include, but are not limited to: 

• What does it mean to create things or beings whose capabilities and effects are fundamentally unpredictable?

• What do we owe – if anything – to the artificial agents that we create? 

• How can ethical responsibility be conceived under conditions of radical uncertainty?

• To what extent is AI a modern ‘creature’ in Shelley's sense?

• What continuities exist between myth (Prometheus), literature (Shelley), and modern technological development? 

• How can literature/sci-fi/film (etc.) help with the investigation of AI and the philosophy of technology?

• Which metaphors and narratives promote understanding of current developments in the field of AI, and which are misleading?

• What new insights – if any – does Frankenstein bring to the ‘value alignment problem’?

• How should we define sentience, awareness, and similar in artificial intelligence, or should we not define them in such systems at all?

• What is technological progress?

*Abstracts should be submitted as a PDF attachment in English to: [email protected]

*Please anonymise abstracts by removing any identifying information about the author(s)

*Please include your full name and affiliation (if applicable) in the body of the email

*Deadline for submission is May 1st (2026), 23:59 (CET)

*Applicants will be notified by May 15th

*Applicants who wish to be considered for the essay prize, please indicate that when submitting the abstract; for more info on the essay prize see below

*Further information can be found on the website: https://www.ku.de/en/frankenstein/events/conference 

Essay Prize (3000 words)

We also welcome submissions for the associated FrankenstAIn Essay Prize. The prize is sponsored by the “Förderverein Georgianum”.

The prize is aimed at early career researchers – master’s students, doctoral students, and postdocs (no more than four years after PhD defence) – with a strong research interest in:

• Philosophy (ethics, philosophy of technology, epistemology, political philosophy, aesthetics)

• History of philosophy and history of ideas

• Science and technology studies (STS)

• History of science

• Computer science, AI research, human-computer interaction, mathematics

• Behavioural sciences focused on human relation to technologies 

• Philosophical aesthetics, including philosophy of fiction, film, and sci-fi

A cash prize of €1,000 will be awarded to the author of the essay that combines philosophical depth, clarity of argument, originality, and relevance to current philosophy of AI debates in an interesting and novel way. Reflections on other cultural-historical themes, as well as connections to Mary Shelley's novel will also be well-received. The essays will be evaluated by an interdisciplinary jury consisting of, among others, the keynote speakers invited to the conference. The winner will also have the opportunity to partake in a panel discussion dedicated to their essay.

*Applicants who wish to be considered for the essay prize please indicate this in the body of the email when submitting your abstract

*If your abstract is accepted, you will then be invited to submit an essay

*Deadline for submission of the essay is September 4th (2026), 23:59 (CET)

*Applicants will be notified by September 25th (2026)

*Further information can be found on the website: https://www.ku.de/en/frankenstein/events/conference 

Questions & Further Queries

Questions and further queries should be directed to: [email protected]

*Participation is free of charge

*Unfortunately we are unable to cover travel and accommodation costs as standard. However, we might be able to provide assistance in special circumstances. If you think this applies to you, then please write to us: [email protected]