As the Internet expands through paradigms like the Internet of Things (IoT), massively multiplayer online (MMO) games, videotelephony and the Metaverse, Autonomous Systems (AS) are increasingly used to mediate society’s dataflows. These systems are often promoted as resource-efficient and used to mitigate the impact of the Internet’s expanding data-driven ecosystem.

Because of their ubiquity and scale, the environmental impacts of hyper-scale autonomous systems are intensifying and their sustainable trustworthiness is frequently undermined.

Using methods from Design, Human Computing Interaction and Science & Technology Studies research, this project collaborated with people such as technologists, policy-makers and citizen end-users. The idea was to rethink current AS infrastructures and anticipate resilient and efficient digital energy transition pathways for Resource Responsible Trustworthy Autonomous Systems design.

Project website: https://imagination.lancaster.ac.uk/project/internet-zero/

Joining the podcast are:

· Dr Michael Stead – Lecturer in Sustainable Design Futures – Imagination Design Research Lab – Lancaster University

· Professor Paul Coulton – Chair in Speculative and Game Design – Imagination Design Research Lab – Lancaster University

· Dr Neelima Sailaja – Assistant Professor – Horizon Digital Economy Research Centre – University of Nottingham

· Dr Ola Michalec – Research Fellow – School of Computer Science – University of Bristol

Also involved in the project:
· Dr Nuri Kwon – Senior Research Associate – Imagination Design Research Lab – Lancaster University

Podcast Host: Sean Riley