Project B03 investigates how lay users make sense of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in their everyday lives. Drawing on qualitative data from 63 participants in Germany and the UK, the project explores everyday experiences with AI technologies through surveys, digital diaries, interviews, and group discussions. The research highlights how individual context and prior knowledge shape when and why people feel explanations of AI are necessary. Findings show that users often rely on non-technical knowledge to interpret AI, and that political and social considerations frequently outweigh technical concerns. By examining these dynamics, the project argues that explainable AI (XAI) research must move beyond purely technical solutions to better understand the social processes through which people interpret and evaluate AI systems.

Research areas: Sociology, Media studies