Wikimedia CH/Innovation/CI vs AI
AI Roundtable – “Collective Intelligence vs Artificial Intelligence”
Overview
[edit]
Collective Intelligence vs Artificial Intelligence is a Wikimedia CH initiative addressing how generative AI transforms the Wikimedia ecosystem and the wider field of open knowledge.
The project aims to build an informed response to the rise of AI by:
- Examining its impact on Wikimedia’s mission to provide free, reliable and human-curated knowledge;
- Bringing together Wikimedians and experts in the knowledge commons, digital economy, and information ecosystem;
- Producing a white paper that will help shape the Wikimedia Movement’s shared position on AI.
The Lausanne Roundtable
[edit]The first convening of the project will take place at the IMD Business School (Lausanne, Switzerland) on 4 November 2025 as a one-day, in-person roundtable. This meeting will form the foundation for the upcoming white paper and collaborative strategy.
- Practical information
- Date: 4 November 2025
- Location: IMD, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Format: One-day, in-person roundtable
Focus of the Roundtable
[edit]The Lausanne convening will be dedicated to understanding the “New Information Loop” — analysing how the rise of AI is reshaping the information ecosystem and how Wikimedia projects are both impacted by and contributing to these transformations.
Topics include:
- AI training on open knowledge platforms: How large-scale use of collaborative content affects the sustainability of the knowledge commons.
- Information ecosystem disruption: How AI changes the discovery, sharing, and validation of knowledge on the web.
- Human vs machine distinction: As a guiding principle for responsible AI policies.
- Shifts in the open web: Changing norms and standards around content sharing and the emergence of new intermediaries (AI platforms, cloud services, etc.).
- Intersection of collective intelligence and AI: Exploring how peer production and machine assistance can jointly shape the future of knowledge.
A detailed agenda will be shared closer to the event. Selected participants will be invited to offer short introductory remarks during thematic sessions.
Why Collective Intelligence?
[edit]Collective Intelligence is the shared cognitive capacity that emerges when individuals collaborate, pool knowledge or coordinate efforts to solve problems and make decisions. It is human-driven, relies on collaborative decision-making, draws from diverse knowledge sources, operates through decentralized processing, and benefits from error correction through diversity.
The concept represents an alternative approach to the automation of knowledge work. In an era where AI rapidly reshapes how knowledge is produced, validated, and distributed, it is essential to define how collective intelligence can benefit from AI tools while preserving human agency.
Our goal is to ensure that:
- AI supports — rather than replaces — collaborative knowledge creation;
- Wikimedia remains a trusted source of original, human-curated knowledge;
- The movement plays an active role in shaping open, ethical, and sustainable AI ecosystems.
Next steps
[edit]The Lausanne roundtable will generate the foundation to:
- Explore the evolving balance between AI-driven tools and community-based knowledge production
- Identify opportunities and risks for Wikimedia projects in an AI-mediated information landscape
- Define actionable principles for Collective Intelligence in open knowledge ecosystems
- Launch a White Paper and potential working group for future innovation tracks
Timeline
[edit]| Phase | Period | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Preparatory phase | August–October 2025 | 🕓 ongoing |
| AI Roundtable @ IMD Lausanne | 4 November 2025 | ✅ confirmed |
| White Paper drafting | November–December 2025 | ❌ to start |
| Online consultation & follow-up meeting | Q1 2026 | ❌ planned |
| Publication of final report | Q2 2026 | ❌ planned |
Participants
[edit]The event gathers around 25 invited participants from:
- Academia (IMD, EPFL, ETH Zurich, Swiss AI initiative, etc.)
- Civil society and non-profits (Open Future Foundation, Wikimedia CH, Wikimedia Deutschland, etc.)
- Industry and research initiatives (Mozilla, Thomas Reuters, etc.)
- Wikipedia community
Deliverables
[edit]- Roundtable report and synthesis of key insights
- White paper on AI & Collective Intelligence (draft 2025 → final 2026)
- Recommendations for Wikimedia communities
Materials
[edit]Contacts
[edit]- Ilario Valdelli, Innovation Programme Lead – Wikimedia CH
- Alek Tarkowski, Director – Open Future Foundation
- IMD Lausanne, institutional partner