Developing Explanations Together

Algorithm-based approaches, such as machine learning, are becoming increasingly complex. This lack of transparency only makes it more difficult for human users to understand and accept the decisions proposed by Artificial Intelligence (AI). In the Transregional Collaborative Research Centre 318 “Constructing Explainability”, researchers are developing ways to involve users in the explanation process and thus create co-constructive explanations. Therefore, the interdisciplinary research team investigates the principles, mechanisms, and social practices of explaining and how these can be taken into account in the design of AI systems. The goal of the project is to make explanatory processes comprehensible and to create understandable assistance systems.

 

To the research profile

News

Professor Hendrik Buschmeier, project leader of A02, presents his research. Photo: Alex Lowles Photography

The TRR 318 was strongly represented at this year's International Symposium for Multimodal Communication (MMSYM 2024) in Frankfurt. Professor Petra Wagner, project leader of A02, gave a keynote speech in which she presented the research of TRR 318 and the A02 project (Petra Wagner als Keynote-Speakerin bei MMSYM 2024). In addition, Professor Hendrik Buschmeier (A02), Stefan Lazarov (A02) and Vivien Lohmer (A04) showed their work in poster…

Read more
This is the icon for our newsletter.
The icon shows a white computer mouse in front of a blue background.

The new issue of the TRR 318 newsletter is out - with exciting media tips on ChatGPT and Explainable Artificial Intelligence.

Read more
This is a portrait foto of Prof. Dr. Katharina J. Rohlfing.
Prof. Dr. Katharina J. Rohlfing, speaker of TRR 318.

Professor Dr. Katharina Rohlfing was a guest on the podcast “Autonomie & Algorithmen” (Autonomy & Algorithms). In this episode the TRR 318 speaker provides insights into the Transregio's research and describes the interactive view of ‘explaining’ that the scientists in the Collaborative Research Centre are primarily working on.

Read more
This is a portrait foto of Prof. Dr. Hendrik Buschmeier.
Prof. Dr. Hendrik Buschmeier, Projectleader of Subproject A02.

This year's series of Public Talks of the Transregio “Constructing Explainability” (TRR 318) focused on the use and effects of chat GPT technologies. The lecture by Professor Dr. Hendrik Buschmeier on “Trust and mistrust in dealing with AI chatbots” has now been published as part of the Bielefeld Lectures series and is available online.

Read more

Events

20.11.2024 - 20.11.2024

On­line Talk “In a nut­shell: In­tro/Ret­ro­spect­ive sur­vey meth­ods” (20.11.24, 14-15 h) led by An­drea Karsten

Read more
04.12.2024 - 04.12.2024

Work­shop on changes in aca­dem­ic ca­reer (Dr. Chris­ti­an Schneijder­berg)

Read more
11.12.2024 - 11.12.2024

(On­line) Lunch Talk with To­bi­as Re­bert, COO of Tentris

Read more
18.12.2024 - 18.12.2024

Activ­ity Af­ter­noon

Read more
29.01.2025 - 29.01.2025

Activ­ity Af­ter­noon

Read more
05.02.2025 - 06.02.2025

Me­dia Train­ing/Sci­ence Com­mu­nic­a­tion Work­shop II: Be­com­ing Vis­ible - With a per­son­al com­mu­nic­a­tion strategy

Read more
26.02.2025 - 26.02.2025

Activ­ity Af­ter­noon

Read more
26.03.2025 - 26.03.2025

Ex­ten­ded Activ­ity Af­ter­noon

Read more
30.04.2025 - 30.04.2025

Ex­ten­ded Activ­ity Af­ter­noon

Read more
28.05.2025 - 28.05.2025

Ex­ten­ded Activ­ity Af­ter­noon

Read more
17.06.2025 - 18.06.2025

3rd TRR 318 Kon­fer­enz "Con­tex­tu­al­iz­ing Ex­plan­a­tions"

Read more
25.06.2025 - 25.06.2025

Ex­ten­ded Activ­ity Af­ter­noon

Read more
24.09.2025 - 24.09.2025

Activ­ity Af­ter­noon

Read more
More events

Projects

Projects

The areas of research included in TRR 318 are divided into three categories. These three areas in turn are subdivided into interdisciplinary subprojects. Project INF provides an overarching research structure; Project Ö facilitates public relations and outreach; Project Z addresses administrative, organizational, and financial matters; and the RTG Project provides a framework for educating doctoral and post-doctoral researchers.

Alle Projekte

Area A - Explaining

Learn more

Area B - Social practice

Learn more

Area C - Representing and computing explanations

Learn more

Intersecting projects

Learn more

Mem­bers

The co-construction of explanations is investigated by a total of 21 project leaders with about 50 scientific assistants from computer science, economics, linguistics, media science, philosophy, psychology and sociology at the Bielefeld and Paderborn universities.

AI For­um

Work­shops for AI be­gin­ners

TRR 318 offers hands-on workshops for people with an interest in Artificial Intelligence and no previous experience in this field. The workshops are aimed at school classes, Stakeholders and medical students.

To the workshops

Net­work­ing op­por­tun­it­ies

The Integrated Research Training Group structures the further education of PhD students and postdocs. We warmly invite external PhD students to express their interest in a visiting fellowship in our Collaborative Research Center!

Learn more

Par­ti­cip­a­tion in sci­entif­ic stud­ies

Many subprojects of TRR 318 investigate human-machine and human-human communication in real-time situations. Interested people can participate in studies and in this way contribute to research.

To the studies

Me­dia

What is Explainable Artificial Intelligence? And how does one research it? The researchers at TRR 318 deal with these questions every day. Through various channels (newsletter, podcast, etc.), we want to give an insight into our research, always with the opportunity to ask questions.

To our chanels

Ques­tions about AI

Artifical Intelligence is still raising many questions. We are trying to address these and answer them.

To Questions and Answers

News­let­ter

Subscribe to our Newsletter to keep updated about research and recent events of TRR 318.

Speak­er

business-card image

Prof. Dr. Katharina Rohlfing

Transregional Collaborative Research Centre 318

Project Leader A01, A05, Z

Write email +49 5251 60-5717

Deputy Speak­er

business-card image

Prof. Dr. Philipp Cimiano

Transregional Collaborative Research Centre 318

Project Leader B01, C05, INF

Write email