SIG on Participatory AI

• doi:10.1145/3750069.3769313

Proceedings of the 16th Biannual Conference of the Italian SIGCHI Chapter

The rapid deployment of AI technologies demands new approaches to ensure citizens shape the systems that affect their lives.Yet significant barriers prevent meaningful public participation in AI development: power imbalances, a lack of appropriate methods for non-technical engagement, and an absent infrastructure for sustained collaboration.This Special Interest Group brings together researchers and practitioners to systematically examine these challenges.Through interactive mapping exercises, challenge deepdives, and world café discussions, we will identify critical research questions, document methodological gaps, and prioritise community needs.The session focuses on understanding why current participatory methods fail in AI contexts, establishing evidence for successful participation, and determining essential resources for scaling inclusive practices.By creating a shared research agenda and fostering cross-institutional collaborations, this SIG initiates a coordinated effort to transform AI development from an exclusive technical domain into an inclusive societal endeavour.