Co-Evolution vs. Co-Degeneration: AI Can Do Both – So Can We
Rethinking Human-AI Interaction: Between Mutual Growth and Intellectual Decline.
On June 2, 2026, the AI Service Center Berlin-Brandenburg @ HPI will host a guest talk featuring Claus Thies-von der Bey as part of its ongoing lecture series. While AI research often focuses on performance and safety, this session addresses a more fundamental concern: How does daily interaction with systems that appear more intelligent than ourselves change the way we think, learn, and relate to one another?
The talk explores the contrast between Co-Evolution—where humans and models evolve through critical inquiry and shared experience—and Co-Degeneration, characterized by the loss of independent thought and social friction. Claus Thies-von der Bey will put a "social contract" between humans and AI agents up for discussion. Drawing from his work in IT attack detection at Deutsche Bahn, he demonstrates how deliberately designed interactions can enable LLMs to provide independent criticism rather than simply confirming every user belief.
With 28 years of industry experience, the speaker currently conducts research at HPI on hallucination reduction and "LLM intent detection" to protect sensitive data from compromised AI agents.
- Date: June 2, 2026
- Time: 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM
- Location: Hasso Plattner Institute, Campus Kitchen One, Building L, Room L-1.02, 14482 Potsdam
- Organizer: AI Service Center Berlin-Brandenburg @ HPI
- Admission: Free (Binding registration required)
- Focus: Human-AI Interaction, LLM Risks, Co-Evolution, Psychology of AI
- Audience: AI enthusiasts, IT security experts, professionals from business and research