EU-funded researcher awarded 2026 Balzan Prize for The Social Science of Digital Technology
Elena Esposito, professor at the University of Bologna (Italy) and Bielefeld University (Germany), has been named winner of the 2026 Balzan Prize for The Social Science of Digital Technology. As described in its latest press release(opens in new window), the International Balzan Foundation is awarding her “[f]or her groundbreaking theoretical contribution” that fundamentally reframes how society understands AI. Central to Esposito’s work is the concept of “artificial communication”, a novel framework demonstrating that algorithms can participate in social exchanges and influence human behaviour despite lacking any genuine understanding. She is also being recognised “[f]or providing a rigorous and innovative framework that could transform social science engagement with artificial intelligence across every domain in which algorithmic systems are becoming active participants.” The Balzan jury has further highlighted “her sustained programme of empirical research applying these insights to algorithmic prediction in finance, medicine, and public policy.”
The social consequences of algorithmic forecasting
Esposito’s research, supported by an Advanced Grant from the European Research Council (ERC) through the PREDICT(opens in new window) project, investigates how digital technologies and machine learning are reshaping the way societies manage uncertainty and the future. In modern society, uncertainty has traditionally been a shared resource. However, the rise of big data and machine learning comes with claims that these systems eliminate this uncertainty by providing predictive scores for individual persons and singular events. The PREDICT (The Future of Prediction: The Social Consequences of Algorithmic Forecast in Insurance, Medicine and Policing) project examines the consequences of the transition from probabilistic uncertainty to algorithmic forecasting across three vital domains. The first is personalised insurance, where individualised prediction threatens the principle of mutual risk-sharing. The second is precision medicine, which faces the challenge of combining algorithmic procedures with established statistical methods. The third is predictive policing, where the drive for accuracy risks reinforcing bias and blurring the line between prevention and repression. By analysing these areas, Esposito’s work reveals how the loss of shared uncertainty fundamentally alters the social contracts that underpin these essential institutions.
Investing in the next generation of scholars
One of the most distinguished international awards for science and culture, the Balzan Prize comes with a monetary award of approximately EUR 800 000. In line with the Foundation’s mission to promote research without borders and foster the next generation of thinkers, Esposito is required to allocate half of the prize money to research projects carried out by young scholars and scientists. This commitment ensures that her pioneering work will continue to inspire and fund emerging talent in the study of digital society. The 2026 prizes were announced in Milan on 7 September, with the selection criteria emphasising validity, current interest and interdisciplinarity. Esposito joins a distinguished list of 16 other ERC grantees who have previously received this honour. The award ceremony will take place in Rome on 19 November 2026. For more information, please see: PREDICT project web page(opens in new window)
