Roundtable on Generative AI and Freedom of Expression

December 1, 2025

Örebro University

Agenda

The roundtable will explore how Artificial Intelligence (AI) reshapes freedom of expression, both as a driver of creativity and a new regulatory frontier.

Building on The Future of Free Speech’s report, “That Violates My Policies: AI Laws, Chatbots and the Future of Expression,” the meeting aims to:

Examine the relationship between generative AI and freedom of expression;
Examine how AI governance shapes democratic dialogue;
Debate legal, normative, and societal approaches to AI and free speech;
Discuss rights-based alternatives to ensure AI systems serve open, pluralistic discourse.

Örebro’s participation is part of the project “Private Rule-Making and European Governance of AI & Robotics,” funded by The Wallenberg AI, Autonomous Systems and Software Program Humanities and Society (WASP-HS).

Locations: Örebro University

Buffet Lunch — Fakultetsklubben in Entrehuset (The Faculty Club in the Entrance Hall)

Roundtable — Hörsal M (Lecture Hall “M” in the Music School, ground floor, behind the big Concert Hall) Roundtable

Networking Drinks — Ljuspunkten

Conference Program

11:45 – 12:00 | Registration & Introduction

Jordi Calvet-Bademunt
The Future of Free Speech

Katalin Kelemen
Örebro University

12:00 – 12:45 | Welcome Lunch & Keynote Speech

Carmen Butler
Swedish Post and Telecom Authority

13:00 – 13:15 | Keynote Speech

Eric Heinze
Queen Mary University of London

Location: Hörsal M

13:15 – 14:15 | Panel 1 | Artificial Intelligence and Freedom of Speech: Legal and Normative Dimensions

10 minutes per speaker, followed by a 15-minute Q&A Session

Marco Bassini and Giovana Lopes | Tilburg University
“Generative AI as Speech: Rethinking Constitutional Coverage”

Silvia A. Carretta | Copenhagen Business School, Women in AI
“The Politics of Moderation: EU Regulations and the Algorithmic Governance of Digital Speech”

Khaled Mansour | The Oversight Board
“Oversight and Accountability: Lessons from Platform Governance”

Yulia Razmetaeva | Uppsala University, Yaroslav Mudryi National Law University
“Freedom of Thought, AI and the Future of the Public Sphere”

Moderated by: Martin Ebers
Örebro University, University of Tartu, Robotics & AI Law Society

14:20 – 15:40 | Panel 2 | AI, Civil Society and Global Challenges to Free Expression

10 minutes per speaker, followed by a 15-minute Q&A Session

Mahishaa Balraj | Stanford University, Hashtag Generation
“AI at the Crossroads of Youth Activism: Voices from the Global South”

Sebastian Becker Castellaro | International IDEA
“Safeguarding Democratic Dialogue in the Age of Algorithms”

J.B. Branch | Public Citizen
“From Tech Accountability to Algorithmic Justice: Civil Society’s Next Battle”

Elonnai Hickok | Global Network Initiative
“Human Rights by Design: Embedding Free-Expression Principles into AI Governance”

Leda Tortora | Independent Consultant on Online Safety
“From Platform Power to Public Participation: Reimagining AI Content Governance”

Erik Uszkiewicz | Hungarian Europe Society, Center for Independent Journalism
“Media Freedom and Disinformation before the Parliamentary Election in Hungary”

Moderated by: Emmanuel Vargas Penagos
Örebro University

15:45 – 16:45 | Expert Commentary on FoFS’ Report: “That Violates My Policies. AI Laws, Chatbots, and the Future of Expression”

5 minutes per speaker, followed by a 15-minute Q&A Session

Gionata Bouché
IViR, University of Amsterdam

Mwai Daka
University of Worcester

Ishu Gupta
Bloomberg Center for Cities at Harvard University, City of Green Bay

Luisa F. Isaza-Ibarra
University of Groningen

Konrad Kiljan
CEE Digital Democracy Watch

Atdhe Lila
Institute for Technology and Society

Karin Rudolph
Collective Intelligence

Gizem Yardimci
ADVANCE CRT, Maynooth University

Moderated by: Alexander Hohlfeld & Jordi Calvet-Bademunt
The Future of Free Speech