Prof. Taha Yasseri Interview: Workday, Collective Intelligence and AI’s Role in Society.

Congratulations on your new appointment! Could you tell us a little about your role as the inaugural Workday Professor of Technology and Society and what excites you most about it?

Thank you! As the inaugural Workday Professor of Technology and Society, my role is to explore how emerging technologies, particularly AI, impact societal structures, behaviours, and ethics. I'm excited to be at the intersection of sociology, technology, and policy, where I can address pressing challenges, like the societal shifts caused by AI and automation. A particularly appealing aspect of this role is its public-facing nature. There’s a lot of myth, fear, and over-excitement surrounding new technologies, especially AI. The public needs support and clear information about these developments. Community engagement is built into this role, which aligns perfectly with my ambitions and interests.

You’re also leading the new TCD-TUDublin Joint Centre for Sociology of Humans and Machines (SOHAM). How do you see this collaboration between Trinity and TU Dublin contributing to research on technology and society?

The joint centre aims to foster interdisciplinary research by bringing together social scientists, technologists, and ethicists to understand the evolving relationship between humans and machines. By combining expertise from both institutions, we can examine how technology impacts societal norms, democracy, labour markets, and human behaviour. This collaboration allows us to create holistic frameworks for understanding AI’s role in society, informing both academic research, industry practice, and public policy. Our goal is to shape technological development in ways that benefit individuals and communities.

You have just published three papers that explore themes around collective intelligence and AI. Could you briefly share the main ideas behind these papers and why they are particularly relevant today?

These papers examine the evolving relationship between humans and (semi-)intelligent machines, particularly how collective intelligence (CI) arises in socio-technical systems. The first explores the challenges of human-machine cooperation, providing insights into structuring these systems for better outcomes. The second introduces a multilayer framework to understand complex human-AI networks, highlighting how interactions across layers enhance CI. The third paper focuses on how large language models (LLMs) influence decision-making and collaboration within CI systems.

Our societies are no longer composed solely of humans; we now interact daily with artefacts possessing agency, creativity, and linguistic abilities comparable to our own. These papers offer a framework for studying these developments, proposing a new sociology of humans and machines. They emphasize how AI, instead of replacing human collective intelligence, can enhance it, with LLMs playing a significant role in this enhancement.

Interestingly, all three papers were published around the time of our centre's launch, though they represent years of work. Together, they set the foundation for the centre’s research, guiding our studies into human-machine cohabitation and shaping how we understand AI’s transformative impact on societal decision-making, collaboration, and knowledge sharing.

What do you believe is groundbreaking about this work?

What sets this research apart is how it shifts the conversation from AI as a mere tool to AI as an integral part of our social systems. We explore not just how AI supports human decision-making but how it participates in complex social processes, including elections, civic deliberations, and team-based work. We also highlight socio-technical risks such as reduced diversity of thought and the propagation of biases. The work offers new frameworks for understanding AI’s integration into societal structures, which is critical for developing more responsible technologies.

How might your research have real-world impact?

Our research has practical implications for a variety of sectors, from governance and policymaking to business and education. For instance, by understanding how AI reshapes collective intelligence, we can develop new models for decision-making that are more inclusive and transparent. Policymakers can use our findings to better regulate AI in relation to elections, public forums, and other social systems. Additionally, companies can apply our frameworks to enhance collaboration between AI and human teams, ensuring more innovative and ethically sound outcomes. Ultimately, our goal is to guide the responsible and beneficial integration of technology into everyday life.

What are you most looking forward to in the coming years, both in terms of your own research and the work of the new centre?

I’m particularly excited about the opportunity to expand research on society and technology interaction, especially as it pertains to democracy, social justice, and ethics. The work of the centre will allow us to push boundaries in understanding how AI is woven into the fabric of society, from algorithmic dating markets to workplaces to governments. I also look forward to engaging with students and researchers, fostering the next generation of thought leaders who will navigate these complex issues. Over the next few years, we aim to influence not just academic discourse but also tangible policy changes and innovations that prioritize societal well-being.

Your Chair is supported by Workday Inc., how do you envision your collaboration with the Workday team, and how do you think you’ll mutually benefit from each other?

My relationship with Workday is a crucial part of this position. Even though I will have academic freedom to design, conduct, and publicize my work independently, Workday’s expertise in technology, data analytics, and AI provides a valuable industry perspective that complements my academic work. This collaboration allows us to co-create practical applications based on our research findings, helping Workday, as well as other tech companies, stay at the forefront of responsible AI integration. In return, I gain access to industry insights, real-world data, and opportunities to apply theoretical work in practical settings, fostering mutual growth and innovation.

Click the links below to read Taha’s three recent publications!

A new sociology of humans and machines

AI-enhanced collective intelligence

How large language models can reshape collective intelligence