Beyond the Algorithm: From Research to Action for Democratic Renewal

The final conference of ORBIS, a European Horizon project coordinated by Politecnico di Milano (Department of Design – Francesca Rizzo, with Ilaria Mariani and Sabrina Sacco; DASTU – Grazia Concilio, with Anna Moro and Michelangelo Secchi), will take place in Brussels. The event will be held on December 4, 2025, as part of the joint conference of the AI, Big Data & Democracy Task Force, with the European Alliance for Social Sciences and Humanities (EASSH).

“Beyond the Algorithm: From Research to Action for Democratic Renewal” brings together four Horizon Europe projects – KT4D, ORBIS, AI4GOV and ITHACA – engaged in exploring how Artificial Intelligence and Big Data are transforming democratic processes, public governance, and civic participation.

The conference will:

• Present the main findings and concrete policy recommendations emerging from the four projects
• Showcase actionable results and tools for transparency, participation, and democratic engagement
• Foster dialogue among researchers, policymakers, civil society, and practitioners.

Agenda:

09:00 - 09:30
Welcome and Opening Remarks

09:30 - 10:45
Panel 1 - "How AI & Big Data Technologies Are Transforming the Capacity to Form, Lose, and Rebuild Trust"

10:45 - 11:15
Coffee Break

11:15 - 12:30
Panel 2 - "Literacies: Transform Vulnerability into Empowerment"

12:30 - 14:00
Lunch

14:00 - 15:15
Panel 3 - "Democracy-centred Technology"

15:15 - 15:30
Closing remarks

15:30 - 17:15
The future of the Task Force AIBD&D, Brokerage and Exhibition Session

The full agenda is available on the ORBIS website and on the KT4Democracy website.

Registration is required on KT4Democracy website, online participation still open.