Dr. Kevin Baum
Will AI ruin everything? Probably. I'm a Philosopher and Computer Scientist asking: But how exactly? And what can we do about it?
I’m Kevin Baum — ethicist (Dr. phil.) and computer scientist (M.Sc.) working at the intersection of philosophy, AI, and policy.
Current positions:
- Independent Research Group Leader, Responsible AI and Machine Ethics (RAIME) at the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI)
- Saarland University Associate Fellow, Saarland Informatics Campus (with PhD supervision rights in Computer Science)
- Postdoctoral Researcher (from April 2026), Institute for Ethics in Technology, Hamburg University of Technology
I also serve on the executive board of the Center for European Research in Trusted AI (CERTAIN) and am a member of the International Association for Safe and Ethical AI (IASEAI), founded by Stuart Russell.
What I work on:
My research bridges normative theory and technical practice. I focus on making AI systems that are not just capable, but trustworthy, fair, and aligned with human values — and on understanding what those terms should actually mean.
Core themes include:
- Effective human oversight of AI systems (not just humans “in the loop,” but humans genuinely in control, meant to be an additional layer of safety)
- Machine ethics and building AI agents that are sensitive to normative reasons
- Algorithmic fairness and the operationalization of “Trustworthy AI”
- Explainability as a bridge between technical systems and human understanding
I approach these questions with tools from philosophy (metaethics, practical reasoning, collective action theory) and computer science (reinforcement learning, mechanistic interpretability, formal methods).
Beyond the lab:
I co-founded Algoright e.V., a think tank for responsible digitalization, and have advised policy makers and public administration on AI ethics and governance issues. In 2024, I was part of the German delegation to the UK-German Science, Innovation and Technology Dialogue.
Our course Ethics for Nerds won the “Hochschulperle des Jahres” (2019) from the German Stifterverband.
Get in touch:
For my full academic CV, see here. For speaking inquiries, consulting, or collaboration: academia@kevinbaum.de