The first edition of the seminar series “AI, Human Behaviour & Societal Challenges” on November 26, 2025, featured a compelling talk by Renate Baumgartner, Assistant Professor at the VU Athena Institute. Under the title “Participatory Design for Inclusive AI”, Baumgartner highlighted the urgent need for more inclusive approaches in AI development, particularly in medicine and healthcare.

Baumgartner’s research focused on Participatory AI, emphasizing that digital health technologies (DHTs), such as wearables and health apps, hold immense potential but often fail to serve vulnerable populations. Without inclusive design, these innovations risk exacerbating inequalities, especially for individuals with low socioeconomic status or limited digital and health literacy.

She argued that responsible AI requires moving beyond techno-deterministic approaches and instead integrating all stakeholders, iterative learning, and sensitivity to unintended consequences.