The seminar Philosophical and interdisciplinary perspectives on AI-companionship will explore questions related to rapidly growing use of chatbots to simulate human-like emotional support\, empathy and social interactions: How good is friendship or love with a chatbot? How can it be better or worse? What can be gained\, what is lost\, and what can or cannot so easily be simulated? How can the use of AI companions impact wellbeing and personal development? What are the ramifications for human-human social interactions and societal life more generally? The topic covers more than deep personal relationships like friendship and love\, for example also the use of AI therapists\, coaches\, trainers and teachers.
The seminar brings together internationally leading scholars on the philosophy and interdisciplinary study of AI-companionship and related issues. \;
The seminar is open to everyone.
\nPhilosophical and interdisciplinary perspectives on AI-companionship
\nUniversity of Southern Denmark\, Odense\, 10-11th June 2026
\nHosted by the Wellbeing and Virtual Worlds project \;
\nJune 10th (O100)
9:30-9.45 Sø\;ren Harnow Klausen (SDU): Introduction
9.45-10.35 Lucy Osler (Exeter): Devotional AI: AI Companions and Bad Faith Love
10.45-11.35 Renee Ye (Bochum): AI Companionship: A New Frontier
11.45-12.35 Anne Gerdes (SDU): Stochastic Care
12.35-13.20 Lunch
13.20-14.10 Chunfang Zhou (SDU): How did it Feel to Work with ChatGPT?
14.20-15.10 Niclas Rautenberg (Hamburg): A critical phenomenology of flourishing with/out AI:
15.30-16.30 Valerie Tiberius (Minnesota): It&rsquo\;s Good to Be Loved: Experientialism and the Problem of Chatbots \;
June 11th (O97)
9:30-10:20 Flor Pasturino &\; Matthew Dennis (Eindhoven): Sphere- Transgressions in Mental Health Chatbots
10.30-11.20 Victoria Paul (SDU): Being somebody else: AI and playfulness
11.30-12.20 Helena Ward (Oxford): Grief Bots and Continued Bonds
12.20-13.00 Lunch
13.00-13.50 Anastasiia Babash (Tartu): Why Dating the Wrong Person Might Be Good for You: AI and the Diagnostic Value of Freedom
14.00-14.50 Sø\;ren Harnow Klausen (SDU): AI and self-cultivation
15.05-15.55 Matthews Dennis (Eindhoven): The Ethical Dangers of Content- Creating Machines
\n\nDear participants\,
\nIt is possible to join the seminar online via Zoom.
\nIf you wish to participate virtually\, please use the respective links below:
\n\nPlease note that upon clicking the link\, you will enter a virtual waiting room. You will be admitted to the meeting 15 minutes before the daily program begins\, or during the breaks between presentations. We look forward to welcoming you\, whether in person or online!
\n\nBest regards\,
\nWellbeing and Virtual Worlds
ORGANIZER: METHOD:PUBLISH END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260611T124452Z DTSTART;TZID=Asia/Shanghai:20261020T010000 DTEND;TZID=Asia/Shanghai:20261020T010000 SUMMARY:Digital Ethics and Wellbeing UID:20260617T031750Z-iCalPlugin-Grails@philevents-web-bd7db559-gt5qm TZID:Asia/Shanghai LOCATION:220 Handan Lu\, Shanghai\, China\, 200433 DESCRIPTION:The conference explores the ethics and wellbeing impact of digital technology use (online activity\, gaming\, smartphone use\, AI\, VR etc.) from philosophical and interdisciplinary perspectives. We welcome contributions on a wide range of topics within this field\, for example \; \;gaming and mental health\, use of AI and VR to support wellbeing in different groups (e.g. young people and older adults)\, use of AI and VR to foster new understandings and ideas for wellbeing and individual and collective ways of living\, social media use and personal development\, existential aspects of AI companionship\, and how normative consideration and \;knowledge of the wellbeing impact can inform design of technology\, interventions and policy making\, and comparative studies of Chinese and Western approaches to ethical assessment and to integrating ethical concerns in innovation and implementation processes. \;
\nAbstracts for presentations (max 400 words) can be submitted to Sø\;ren Harnow Klausen (harnow@sdu.dk). The deadline is June 15. \;
ORGANIZER;CN="Søren Klausen": METHOD:PUBLISH END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260611T124452Z DTSTART;TZID=Asia/Shanghai:20261020T090000 DTEND;TZID=Asia/Shanghai:20261021T170000 SUMMARY:Digital Ethics and Wellbeing UID:20260617T031751Z-iCalPlugin-Grails@philevents-web-bd7db559-gt5qm TZID:Asia/Shanghai LOCATION:220 Handan Lu\, Shanghai\, China\, 200433 DESCRIPTION:The conference explores the ethics and wellbeing impact of digital technology use (online activity\, gaming\, smartphone use\, AI\, VR etc.) from philosophical and interdisciplinary perspectives. We welcome contributions on a wide range of topics within this field\, for example \; \;gaming and mental health\, use of AI and VR to support wellbeing in different groups (e.g. young people and older adults)\, use of AI and VR to foster new understandings and ideas for wellbeing and individual and collective ways of living\, social media use and personal development\, existential aspects of AI companionship\, and how normative consideration and \;knowledge of the wellbeing impact can inform design of technology\, interventions and policy making\, and comparative studies o Chinese and Western approaches to ethical assessment and to integrating ethical concerns in innovation and implementation processes. \;
ORGANIZER;CN="Søren Klausen": METHOD:PUBLISH END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR