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Humboldt Professor Sandra Wachter: AI for a fair future!
Sandra Wachter is moving from Oxford to the University of Potsdam as the new Humboldt Professor of Technology and Regulation.
Humboldt Professor Sandra Wachter: AI for a fair future!
On May 5, 2025, Sandra Wachter was awarded the prestigious Alexander von Humboldt Prize. The prize is the most valuable international research prize in Germany and was presented by Federal Minister of Education and Research Cem Özdemir and the President of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, Robert Schlögl. This prize honors outstanding researchers and contributes to promoting excellence and international exchange. [uni-potsdam.de] reports that Sandra Wachter, who is moving from the University of Oxford to Potsdam, was recognized as one of six new Alexander von Humboldt Professors.
The Alexander von Humboldt Professorship offers optimal financial conditions for leading international scientists. Sandra Wachter will take over the professorship for Technology and Regulation at the Digital Engineering Faculty, which is supported by the University of Potsdam and the Hasso Plattner Institute. Her award is endowed with 3.5 million euros, awarded by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation and financed by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research.
Research focus and social relevance
Wachter works in the fields of law, computer science and social science and has helped to establish the research area of explainable artificial intelligence (AI). Their goal is to find ways in which AI can be regulated and at the same time made fairer and more transparent. This research is considered essential in order to integrate ethical-legal expertise in AI for the economy and society in Germany. In addition, it should contribute to the discussion about the challenges of academic freedom.
During the award ceremony, Robert Schlögl spoke about the challenges facing academic freedom in the United States and emphasized the need to support and preserve this freedom. He offered researchers from the USA financial support to build networks of trust. Özdemir underlined the importance of academic freedom as a pillar of democracy and a requirement for scientific diversity, which is essential for social and economic progress. According to [humboldt-foundation.de], academic freedom in Germany even has constitutional status.
Challenges and important principles
In the context of academic freedom, a memorandum containing “Ten Theses on Academic Freedom” was recently published by the Alliance of Scientific Organizations. This document, which was launched on the occasion of the 70th birthday of the Basic Law, highlights the importance of free science as the foundation of democracy. The themes of the memorandum include support for endangered scientists from abroad and the promotion of a positive culture of debate. [humboldt-foundation.de] advocates emphasizing the responsibility of science and making its importance visible in a democratic society.
Sandra Wachter's award as Humboldt Professor is not only a personal success, but also a significant step in the development and promotion of AI research in Germany. Their work could not only enrich the academic field, but also have far-reaching consequences for the practical applications of AI in society.