Mission宗旨
The rise of AI is not merely technological progress — algorithms decide who is seen, data decides who is remembered. These are sociological questions.
The development of AI is not only technological progress; it drives deep changes in society, the economy, culture, and ethics. Algorithms decide who is seen and who is excluded; data decides who is remembered and who is left out. These are sociological questions. The Center is committed to using sociological theory and methods to examine the social phenomena that AI brings, and to integrate teaching, research, and social practice.
The Center’s core themes include:
- The impact of AI on employment and the transformation of labor markets
- AI applications in education, healthcare, politics, law, and social welfare, and their social consequences
- Privacy, security, and data protection
- Algorithmic bias: the inequality and discrimination AI can produce or deepen
- The ethics, morality, and human dignity of AI
- Dialogue and alignment between AI technology and social values
- AI and the redefinition of gender, the body, and human–machine relations
- AI in crime prevention, policing, and criminal justice: applications and risks
Center writing platform: rcais.medium.com ・ Official page: Soochow Sociology — RCAIS
Background
Background & History成立背景與歷史
The Center was established under the "Regulations for the Research Center for AI and Society, Department of Sociology, Soochow University." Per Article 1, the Department established the Center to advance interdisciplinary theory and research across the social sciences and AI and to foster a strong teaching and application environment. Its mission is to plan and promote talent cultivation, academic exchange, research development, industry–academia collaboration, and related work on AI and society.
The Center is a department-level teaching and research center, reviewed by the Department’s Academic Development Committee. It has one Executive Director, elected by the department faculty; members are full-time and adjunct faculty and appointed staff interested in the Center’s teaching and research. The Director reports on the Center’s operations and budget at each departmental meeting. Funding comes from grants, university subsidies, fundraising, and partner support.
2020-01-07
Regulations approved
The Center’s founding regulations were approved by the departmental meeting and the Center was established. Prof. Chung-Yang Yeh served as the first Executive Director (2020–2021).
2020-05-05
First amendment
The departmental meeting amended the regulations, establishing the Center’s organization and duties.
2021
Center in operation
The Center became fully operational, launching its Medium column and AI course series. From 2022, Prof. Yu-Cheng Liu served as the second Executive Director (2022–2024).
2022-04-12
Second amendment
The departmental meeting again amended the regulations, strengthening the Center’s operating rules.
2025 –
Assoc. Prof. Fang-Yi Huang becomes third Director
From 2025, expanding the lecture series, cross-departmental faculty community, and international research network, and extending outreach to high-school AI camps.
Per Article 5, the Center’s principal duties are:
- Planning courses and lectures
- Conducting research projects
- Organizing academic activities
- Building databases
- Promoting international exchange and collaboration
- Encouraging publication of results
Source: Regulations for the Research Center for AI and Society, Department of Sociology, Soochow University (approved 2020-01-07; amended 2020-05-05 and 2022-04-12).