Second internationalconference · Milan
AI · Society · Democratic governance
AI, Cities,and Democracy.
A New Great Transformation.
Important update
More papers.
Two locations.
In light of the large number of high-quality submissions received from the call for papers, the Scientific Committee has decided to expand the number of papers accepted for presentation.
Please note that, to accommodate a larger number of contributions, the Conference will be held in two different locations over the three days: SmartCityLab Milano (Via Giuseppe Ripamonti 88) on 11 November 2026, and IULM University (Via Carlo Bo 1, Milan) on 12 and 13 November 2026.
The two venues are approximately 20 minutes apart by public transport.
The conference
Three days of ideas
and debate.
Keynotes, roundtables and paper sessions on the ethical, political and social consequences of AI.
Wednesday · 11 November
Registration
Opening remarks
Fausto Raciti — P4B.AI
Domenico Agnello — P4B.AI
Keynote — Francesca Rossi
Chair: Andrea Lavazza
Coffee break
Dialogue
Mario De Caro — SEPAI President, UNESCO Chair
Fausto Raciti — P4B.AI
Roundtable — AI, explainability and ethics
Chiara Agnello — University of Palermo
Antonio Chella — University of Palermo
Parallel session 1
Lunch break
Keynote — Theodore Lechterman
Roundtable — AI: opportunities and risks
Andrea Le Moli — University of Palermo
Enrico Panai — Università Cattolica di Milano / President, Association of AI Ethicists
Chair: Paola Fiorio
Coffee break
Parallel session 2
SEPAI Prize and keynote lecture
Mark Coeckelbergh — University of Vienna
AI and Democracy
Close of day 1
Thursday · 12 November
Opening of day 2 and keynote
Keynote: Riccardo Manzotti — IULM University
Chair: Andrea Lavazza
Roundtable — AI and society
Emanuela Totaro — Fondazione Kainòn
Emanuele Frontoni — University of Macerata
Parallel session 3
Roundtable — Mondadori Education
Joint online session
Lunch break
Keynote — Paul Nemitz
Chair: Fernanda Faini
Roundtable — Artificial Intelligence and Democracy
Fernando Giancotti — General, former President of the Centre for Higher Defence Studies
Pietro Perconti — University of Messina
Chair: Fernanda Faini
Coffee break
Parallel CfP session 4
Parallel session 5
Closing / Assembly
Friday · 13 November
Keynote — Oreste Pollicino
Parallel CfP session 6
Coffee break
Parallel CfP session 7
Keynote — Patrick Lee Plaisance
Lunch break
Keynote — Giuseppe Sartori
Seeweb session
Parallel CfP session 8
Keynote — Carlo Ratti
Awards and closing remarks
Please check this page for updates to the programme and individual sessions.
Plan your visit
Where to find us.
Wednesday / 11 November
SmartCityLab
Milano
Via Giuseppe Ripamonti 88
Milan, Italy
Thursday–Friday / 12–13 November
IULM
University
Via Carlo Bo 1
Milan, Italy
Why this conference
AI, cities and the future of democratic life.
SEPAI’s Second International Conference addresses the ethical, political, social and cultural implications of artificial intelligence in contemporary societies.
AI is becoming part of the infrastructure that reshapes work, knowledge, institutions, public space, democratic participation, urban life and the conditions of human agency. The conference explores this new “great transformation” and the changing relations between technology, economy, politics and society.
The programme also includes a joint online session with Gli Stati generali della Scuola Digitale – Varese 2026 on 12 November at 12:45.
Call for papers · information for authors
Submissions are closed. The extended deadline was 5 October 2026; acceptance notifications were scheduled for 10 October 2026. Accepted papers are included in parallel sessions across 11–13 November. The main working language is English.
At least one author of each accepted paper must register for the conference and present the paper in the assigned session. For co-authored submissions, at least one co-author must register and present.
The call welcomed theoretical, normative, empirical, critical and interdisciplinary work from philosophy, ethics, political theory, law, sociology, economics, cognitive science, urban studies, media studies, computer science and related fields.
Topics of interest
- ethics and politics of artificial intelligence
- AI and democratic governance
- AI governance, regulation, the rule of law, and democratic accountability
- AI Act, fundamental rights, and institutional oversight
- algorithmic power, Big Tech, and digital sovereignty
- AI, labour, automation, and the future of work
- AI in cities, smart cities, public administration, and participatory governance
- generative AI, public space, misinformation, manipulation, and epistemic trust
- AI, inequality, discrimination, social justice, education, and human development
- human–AI interaction, moral agency, responsibility, AI advisors, AI agents, and delegated decision-making
- AI, environmental and material costs, war, security, and geopolitical power
- AI, consciousness, cognition, anthropomorphism, and the future of moral and political agency
Paper prizes: first prize €1,000; second prize €500; third prize €250. The award ceremony is scheduled for Friday 13 November at 18:00.
For accepted-paper queries, write to cfp@sepai-international.org.
Attend SEPAI 2026
Join the conference
in Milan.
Registration options are available for the full conference and for Friday 13 November. Attendance by at least one author is required for accepted papers.
Registration and ticket availability are managed through Eventbrite.