Technology has always driven societal change, and digital technologies are transforming everyday life faster than ever before. Bold claims are being made about how autonomous vehicles, blockchain, embedded AI, and the “metaverse” will shape the future, with every tech giant and its CEO seeking to shape the conversation.
The Centre for Sociodigital Futures will unite experts from around the world to investigate how these various claims about digital futures shape our lives today, and generate new approaches to build fairer, more sustainable societies. The centre is led by the University of Bristol and funded to the tune of £9.8m from UKRI’s Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), over five years.
Professor Susan Halford, director of the ESRC Centre for Sociodigital Futures, said: “We’re living in a “sociodigital world” where digital technologies, devices and data are an integral part of our societies. We can see this throughout the Covid-19 pandemic...