Deepfakes, Democracy, and Generative AI: Join us for the Final SOLARIS Meeting

 

The SOLARIS Project consortium is pleased to announce its Final Project Meeting, a two-day event dedicated to reflecting on the societal, political, and ethical challenges posed by deepfakes and generative AI, as well as exploring pathways for responsible, inclusive, and democratic AI governance. The meeting will take place on 26–27 January 2026 at Utrecht University and will bring together researchers, policymakers, journalists, and practitioners from across Europe. Everyone is welcome to join the event online after registering on this link. 

Marking the culmination of three years of collaborative research under the SOLARIS project, the event provides a space for in-depth discussion on how synthetic media are reshaping public trust, political communication, education, health, journalism, and legal evidence. Through keynote lectures, panel discussions, and thematic sessions, participants will critically examine both the risks associated with deepfakes and the opportunities generative AI may offer for social good, inclusion, and civic engagement. 

A keynote lecture by Professor Stephan Lewandowsky of University of Bristol will offer a high-level reflection on misinformation and public understanding. Further panels will explore the use of GenAI in research and education, as well as the transforming status of images in journalism, law, and public discourse in the age of synthetic media. 

 

Who is this event for? 

The event is designed for researchers, students, journalists, policymakers, and engaged citizens interested in the ethical, societal, and democratic implications of generative AI technologies. Members of the SOLARIS Consortium will be joined by a wide range of external experts from academia, media, civil society, and European institutions, fostering interdisciplinary dialogue and exchange. 

 

How to join? 

The meeting will be streamed online. To join, a free prior registration is needed via the following link: https://forms.gle/rk754fC6e8SGu6cn9  

 

Agenda (CET Times) 

26th January 2026 

• 14:00 – 14:30 Welcome speeches 

• 14:30 – 15:15 SOLARIS carousel presentations 

• 15:15 – 15:30 Coffee and SOLARIS Book reading 

• 15:30 - 16:30 Founding the future of digital society: ‘Planetarised Humanity’, ‘Quantum Ecology’, and Humanist Ethics 

• 16:30 - 16:40 SOLARIS Book reading 

• 16:40 - 17:40 AI and deepfakes for inclusion and social good: education and health 

• 17:40 - 17:50 SOLARIS book reading 

27th January 2026 

• 9:15 - 9:30 SOLARIS Book reading  

• 9:30 – 10:30 The Governance of Deepfakes 

• 10:30 - 11:00 Keynote:  Stephan Lewandowski, University of Bristol  

• 11:00 - 11:15 SOLARIS Book reading 

• 11:15 – 12:30 GenAI Regulation and Political Engagement 

• 12:30 - 13:30 SOLARIS book reading 

• 13:30 - 14:30 GenAI in Research and Education: Risks and Opportunities 

• 14:30 - 14:40 SOLARIS Book reading 

• 14:40 - 15:50 The Transforming Status of Images in the Age of GenAI 

• 15:50 - 16:00 Closing 

 

Full agenda: DOWNLOAD 

 

For further information: write to Tommaso Tonello, University of Utrecht solaris@uva.nl