LITHME: Language In The Human-Machine Era

Brief and project description

LITHME is a European COST Action network that brings together researchers, linguists, technologists, and policymakers to study the emergence of human-machine language interfaces and their impact on society. The initiative explores how advances in artificial intelligence and language technologies are transforming communication, moving from the digital era towards the human-machine era.

The project focuses on two major developments: communicating through technology, where language is augmented and mediated by intelligent systems, and communicating to technology, through increasingly natural and extended interactions with conversational AI and other language-enabled systems.

By fostering collaboration between language sciences and technology development, LITHME aims to anticipate how these innovations may affect language use, multilingualism, translation, education, cultural identity, and social inclusion. The network provides a platform for interdisciplinary research and long-term technological foresight, helping society prepare for the profound linguistic changes driven by AI.

A central dimension of LITHME is the examination of the ethical and societal implications of emerging language technologies. Issues such as privacy, security, accessibility, digital inequality, misinformation, and trust are addressed to ensure that future human-machine communication systems are developed responsibly and inclusively.

The project equips researchers, stakeholders, and policymakers with the knowledge required to understand and shape the future relationship between language, technology, and society.

Period: 2020 – 2024