AANT has introduced a new event under the GeniaLAB banner, the research and discussion format dedicated to contemporary languages and their cultural transformations. At the heart of the event—moderated by Prof. Gianna Angelini, AANT’s Scientific Director and Head of Internationalization—was a conversation on the relationship between artificial intelligence and language, featuring the presentation of the book Born Cyborgs by Prof. Claudio Paolucci, Full Professor at the University of Bologna.
During the meeting, the guest, together with the students, explored how the production of texts and modes of communication change radically when, alongside human beings, machines also “speak.” What do we mean today by understanding, intention, and creativity? What are the cultural, social, and ethical implications of the everyday use of artificial intelligence tools? Drawing on a semiotic perspective, the book highlights opportunities, ambiguities, and shadow areas within the new digital linguistic system. Today, generative AI is no longer an external object, but a mirror that forces us to question who we are and who we are becoming. This is a topic of great importance and interest for students enrolled in AANT’s three-year academic programs.
Speaker note: Claudio Paolucci is Full Professor of Philosophy and Theory of Languages in the Department of Philosophy and Communication at the University of Bologna, where he teaches Semiotics and Philosophy of Language. President of the Italian Society for the Philosophy of Language (SFL), he is the scientific coordinator of the International Center for Humanistic Studies “Umberto Eco.” His research focuses on language, cognition, and processes of meaning-making, with particular attention to the relationship between artificial intelligence and cultural practices. He is the author of numerous essays and landmark volumes in the contemporary theoretical landscape.