The Ethics of Mapping Slums—And How AI Complicates the Picture

Abstract

This is an interview conducted with Isaac Oluoch (Twente) and Michael Nagenborg (Twente) on 1 March 2023. It is about their research on mapping deprived areas in lower-income countries, better known as slums or informal settlements. They talk about technical and especially ethical challenges involved in practical mapping projects, and also discuss what complications may arise when machines (AI) start participating in interpretations of spaces. We also discuss our situatedness as researchers in wealthy countries, the practice of philosophy in general and how it might contribute to concrete real-world problems.