Collegium de Lyon
France
fellow
Massimo Leone
2026-2027
Home institution
Università di Torino
Country of origin (home institution)
Italy
Discipline(s)
Information and communication sciences
Theme(s)
Artificial Intelligence
Fellowship dates
›
Biography
Massimo Leone is Professor of Philosophy of Communication at the University of Turin. His research explores semiotics, religion, and digital cultures, with a focus on AI and contemporary media.
Research Project
When Algorithms Govern: Imaginaries, Knowledge, and Power in the Age of Artificial Intelligence
This project examines how artificial intelligence increasingly acts as a social and political agent in contemporary societies. Instead of focusing only on technical performance, this project studies three key dimensions of AI. First, agentive AI: systems that appear to act, decide, and interact with humans in everyday contexts. Second, affective AI: technologies designed to detect, simulate, and influence emotions. Third, the multimodal dimension of AI, especially through voice and facial interfaces that reshape how humans communicate with machines. By analysing media discourse, technological applications, and public debates, this project explores how these developments transform trust, authority, and public knowledge. Its originality lies in combining cultural analysis with concrete case studies to better understand how AI is changing communication, social interaction, and democratic life.
FIAS Laureate
This project is receiving funding from the Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Programme of the European Union under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action (MSCA COFUND GA-101217263).
Research Interests:
Artificial Intelligence; Algorithmic Governance; Public Knowledge