Author: Aula Blog Editor

  • Beyond mere automation: A techno-functional framework for reimagining gen-AI in supply chain operations

    Beyond mere automation: A techno-functional framework for reimagining gen-AI in supply chain operations

    As Generative AI (Gen-AI) continues to evolve rapidly, its potential to transform supply chain operations remains largely unexplored. Narrowing in on retail supply chain, this paper presents a taxonomy diagram that categorizes trends in Gen-AI adoption across various functions thereby mapping current Gen-AI capabilities and identifying immediate opportunities and potential challenges. We identify several key patterns in Gen-AI integration, including the automation of routine cognitive tasks, and enhancement of human decision-making capabilities. We posit that while Gen-AI shows immense promise in improving supply chain efficiency and resilience, successful implementation requires careful consideration of existing workflows, user capabilities, and organizational readiness. Finally, we present a cohesive vision for scaling Gen-AI in Supply Chain operations. Ultimately, this position paper provides insights for both practitioners looking to implement Gen-AI solutions and researchers exploring the future of AI in and for supply chain management.

    Read the full workshop report here.

  • Dis/Misinformation, WhatsApp Groups, and Informal Fact-Checking Practices in Namibia

    Dis/Misinformation, WhatsApp Groups, and Informal Fact-Checking Practices in Namibia

    This chapter contributes to our understanding of organic and informal user correction practices emerging in WhatsApp groups in Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. This is important in a context where formal infrastructures of correcting and debunking dis/misinformation have been dominated by top-down initiatives. These formal infrastructures include platform-centric content moderation practices and professional fact-checking processes. Unlike social platforms such as Twitter and Facebook, which can perform content moderation and hence take down offending content, the end-to-end encrypted (E2EE) infrastructure of WhatsApp creates a very different scenario where the same approach is not possible. This is because only the users involved in the conversation have access to the content shared, shielding false and abusive content from being detected or removed. As Kuru et al.(2022) opine, the privacy of end-to-end encryption provides a highly closed communication space, posing a different set of challenges for misinformation detection and intervention than with more open social media, such as Facebook and Twitter. In this regard, false and misleading information on WhatsApp constitutes” a distinctive problem”(Kuru et al. 2022; Melo et al. 2020). As Reis et al.(2020, 2) observe,“the end-to-end en-crypted (E2EE) structure of WhatsApp creates a very different scenario” where content moderation and fact checking at scale is not possible. Fact-checking WhatsApp groups, which have been flagged as the major distributors of mis-and disinformation is equally difficult.

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  • PARADIM: A Platform to Support Research at the Interface of Data Science and Medical Imaging

    PARADIM: A Platform to Support Research at the Interface of Data Science and Medical Imaging

    This paper describes PARADIM, a digital infrastructure designed to support research at the interface of data science and medical imaging, with a focus on Research Data Management best practices. The platform is built from open-source components and rooted in the FAIR principles through strict compliance with the DICOM standard. It addresses key needs in data curation, governance, privacy, and scalable resource management. Supporting every stage of the data science discovery cycle, the platform offers robust functionalities for user identity and access management, data de-identification, storage, annotation, as well as model training and evaluation. Rich metadata are generated all along the research lifecycle to ensure the traceability and reproducibility of results. PARADIM hosts several medical image collections and allows the automation of large-scale, computationally intensive pipelines (e.g., automatic segmentation, dose calculations, AI model evaluation). The platform fills a gap at the interface of data science and medical imaging, where digital infrastructures are key in the development, evaluation, and deployment of innovative solutions in the real world.

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  • Keeping Players Hooked: Story-Driven iGaming Ecosystem

    Keeping Players Hooked: Story-Driven iGaming Ecosystem

    This GitHub project explores how to:

    ✅ Build modular narrative systems that expand over seasons and quests. ✅ Design story-powered payment systems that turn transactions into experiences. ✅ Grow sustainable gaming enterprises around live storytelling, community co-creation, and ethical monetization. ✅ Create ecosystems where players return not out of compulsion, but love for the story.

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  • Dataset: AI Conference Mission Statements

    Dataset: AI Conference Mission Statements

    This dataset is available for collaborations. Please contact our research Director, Dr. Branislav Radeljic, Ph.D., for more information.

    Used In: Work in Progress: Exclusive Rhetoric in AI Conference Mission Statements

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  • Whole-Person Education for AI Engineers: Presented to CEEA (Peer Reviewed)

    Whole-Person Education for AI Engineers: Presented to CEEA (Peer Reviewed)

    This autoethnographic study explores the need for interdisciplinary education spanning both technical an philosophical skills – as such, this study leverages whole-person education as a theoretical approach needed in AI engineering education to address the limitations of current paradigms that prioritize technical expertise over ethical and societal considerations. Drawing on a collaborative autoethnography approach of fourteen diverse stakeholders, the study identifies key motivations driving the call for change, including the need for global perspectives, bridging the gap between academia and industry, integrating ethics and societal impact, and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration. The findings challenge the myths of technological neutrality and technosaviourism, advocating for a future where AI engineers are equipped not only with technical skills but also with the ethical awareness, social responsibility, and interdisciplinary understanding necessary to navigate the complex challenges of AI development. The study provides valuable insights and recommendations for transforming AI engineering education to ensure the responsible development of AI technologies.

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  • The philanthrocapitalism of google news initiative in Africa, Latin America, and the middle east–empirical reflections

    The philanthrocapitalism of google news initiative in Africa, Latin America, and the middle east–empirical reflections

    In recent years, media organizations globally have increasingly benefited from financial support from digital platforms. In 2018, Google launched the Google News Initiative (GNI) Innovation Challenge aimed at bolstering journalism by encouraging innovation in media organizations. This study, conducted through 36 in-depth interviews with GNI beneficiaries in Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East, reveals that despite its narrative of enhancing technological innovation for the media’s future, this scheme inadvertently fosters dependence and extends the philanthrocapitalism concept to the media industry on a global scale. Employing a theory-building approach, our research underscores the emergence of a new form of ‘philanthrocapitalism’ that prompts critical questions about the dependency of media organizations on big tech and the motives of these tech giants in their evolving relationship with such institutions. We also demonstrate that the GNI Innovative Challenge, while ostensibly promoting sustainable business models through technological innovation, poses challenges for organizations striving to sustain and develop these projects. The proposed path to sustainability by the GNI is found to be indirect and difficult for organizations to navigate, hindering their adoption of new technologies. Additionally, the study highlights the creation of a dependency syndrome among news organizations, driven by the perception that embracing GNI initiatives is crucial for survival in the digital age. Ultimately, the research contributes valuable insights to the understanding of these issues, aiming to raise awareness among relevant stakeholders and conceptualize philanthrocapitalism through a new lens.

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  • WIP: Gen AI in Engineering Education and the Da Vinci Cube (Peer Reviewed)

    WIP: Gen AI in Engineering Education and the Da Vinci Cube (Peer Reviewed)

    As generative AI (GenAI) tools rapidly transform the engineering landscape, a critical question emerges: Are current educational innovations adequately preparing engineers for the socio-technical challenges of the future? This work-in-progress paper presents two key contributions. First, we build on prior work presenting a systematic review of over 160 scholarly articles on GenAI implementations in engineering education, revealing a predominant focus on enhancing technical proficiency while often neglecting essential socio-technical competencies. Second, we apply an emerging framework—the da Vinci Cube (dVC)—to support engineering educators in critically evaluating GenAI-driven innovations. The dVC framework extends traditional models of innovation by incorporating three dimensions: the pursuit of knowledge, consideration of use, and contemplation of sentiment. Our analysis suggests that while GenAI tools can improve problem-solving and technical efficiency, engineering education must also address ethical, human-centered, and societal impacts. The dVC framework provides a structured lens for assessing how GenAI tools are integrated into curricula and research, encouraging a more holistic, reflective approach. Ultimately, this paper aims to provoke dialogue on the future of engineering education and to challenge the prevailing assumption that technical skill development alone is sufficient in an AI-mediated world.

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  • Saptarishi Futures: An Indian Intergenerational Wayfinding Framework

    Saptarishi Futures: An Indian Intergenerational Wayfinding Framework

    An Intergenerational Future Study model contextualized within Indian mythology, folklore, and generational value systems. This fusion explores ancient cultural wisdom and modern anticipatory governance to imagine just, inclusive, and regenerative futures across generations.

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  • Nature Opinion: The path for AI in poor nations does not need to be paved with billions

    Nature Opinion: The path for AI in poor nations does not need to be paved with billions

    NATURE

    Researchers in low- and middle-income countries show that home-grown artificial-intelligence technologies can be developed, even without large external investments.

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