[Air-L] AI Futures seminar - Sebastián Lehuedé - May 12

[Srravya C]

Hi everyone,


Please join us for the next *AI Futures* seminar by *Dr. Sebastián Lehuedé*,
who will discuss his recent research on environmental justice and AI. The
seminar is open to all, and will take place online on May 12, 2026 at 1.30
PM BST. Register *here
<https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/702b4fe0-8a93-41a6-86ae-d01faafefdcf@2e9f06b0-1669-4589-8789-10a06934dc61>*
!



*Beyond Hubris: In Situ AI and Peasant Ecological Struggles in Colombia*



Many 'AI for sustainability' initiatives pursue ambitious goals, such as
emissions reduction, yet often fail to address local ecological realities.
Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork in Colombia, this talk analyses two
initiatives: one led by Microsoft in the Amazon and another developed by
scientists and peasants in the High Andes. Through this analysis, it traces
the emergence of in situ AI, highlighting its capacity to engage with local
ecological struggles and address environmental injustices. Nevertheless,
questions remain about whether in situ AI can effectively tackle urgent,
planetary-scale environmental challenges.

*Speaker bio*

Sebastián Lehuedé is a Lecturer (equivalent to Assistant Professor) in *Ethics,
AI and Society* in the Department of Digital Humanities at King’s College
London. Sebastián’s research focuses on the governance of digital
technologies from a global social justice perspective. His current
project, *AI’s
Nature*, explores the connection between Artificial Intelligence and
environmental justice. In this work, he has engaged with urban, peasant and
Indigenous communities in Chile and Colombia mobilising against a data
centre project, resisting lithium extraction and participating in
AI-centred conservationist initiatives. His previous project, *Scientific
Data Colonialism*, examined the governance of astronomy data in Chile.
Sebastián’s approach combines ethnographic methods, political ecology and
decolonial thought. He has also contributed to conceptual development on
data friction, digital sovereignty and reflexivity in critical data
studies. He holds a PhD in Data, Networks, and Society from the Department
of Media and Communications at the London School of Economics and received
the 2022 Dissertation Award from the Association of Internet Researchers
(AoIR).

*AI Futures seminar series*

The *Planetary AI
<https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fplanetaryai.net%2F&data=05%7C02%7C%7Ca310774bf8914defc56f08deace80930%7C2e9f06b016694589878910a06934dc61%7C0%7C0%7C639138309746595117%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=cKqUThzrh%2FmU4qxIrEBdb3zdf3eGD9zI6O033qoMEHM%3D&reserved=0>*
project
is hosting the 'AI Futures' seminar series to centre alternative visions
and technofutures for more just and equal worlds. We are delighted to
engage with leading thinkers for conversations on developing visions for
radically different futures:

Dr. Jack Stilgoe - February 17 (in-person at Edinburgh, watch the
recording *here
<https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fplanetaryai.net%2Fmedia%2F&data=05%7C02%7C%7Ca310774bf8914defc56f08deace80930%7C2e9f06b016694589878910a06934dc61%7C0%7C0%7C639138309746614410%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=tdfVh5VpRBGlL4T4lk2GiwmKLZX6t7HqdKrVVYYPdSA%3D&reserved=0>*
)

Dr. Rafael Grohmann - April 14 (online)

Dr. Sebastián Lehuedé - May 12 (online - register *here
<https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/702b4fe0-8a93-41a6-86ae-d01faafefdcf@2e9f06b0-1669-4589-8789-10a06934dc61>*
)

Dr. Paola Ricaurte Quijano and Dr. Nick Couldry - June 16 (in-person at
Edinburgh)
-- 
Best,
Srravya

*Srravya Chandhiramowuli*
Research Fellow, *Planetary AI* <https://planetaryai.net/> project
University of Edinburgh
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