Minds, Hands, and Machines in Citizen Science: From Uncertainty to Participation

In her keynote, Marisa Ponti will present Minds, Hands, and Machines: From Uncertainty to Participation. The title represents the three core components of modern citizen science projects that integrate machine learning, moving beyond simple human-computer interaction to a more complex and collaborative system. During her talk, she will challenge designers and researchers to build the next generation of AI for citizen science by posing five transformative questions.
The talk will push beyond current applications to ask: How can we design algorithms that reveal their own logic during moments of human uncertainty? How can we show a participant that their cognitive and hands-on work is actively shaping the algorithm’s outcome, creating a meaningful dialogue between humans and machines? She will question whether our goal is to create AI that simply gives fast answers for classifying objects, or AI that guides users to explore uncertainty, fostering the deeper inquiry that defines science. The keynote will also hint at her wish for machines to be designed to value the unique, contextual understanding that comes from human experience, treating these insights as an essential form of scientific participation, not just algorithmic uncertainty. Ultimately, the presentation addresses the critical challenge of better systemic transparency: What is the best way to build systems where citizen scientists clearly see the value of their work and are empowered as essential, respected collaborators alongside the AI?
This presentation invites the audience to join a critical dialogue on the path forward. It encourages a collective reflection on our shared responsibility, challenging attendees to consider how we can consciously design machine learning systems that empower communities and uphold scientific integrity.