Welcome
Welcome to the homepage of the research group Information Systems IV - Digital Platforms & Services at the KIT!
As Artificial Intelligence (AI) becomes increasingly embedded in digital platforms and services, it is turning into a pervasive part of both the workplace and everyday life. Realizing the benefits of AI in a sustainable and responsible way requires a reflective approach to its use — one that enables individuals to harness technological opportunities while remaining aware of potential risks, such as overreliance or “blind” trust. Our research group is dedicated to reflective AI use.
If you are interested in…
- reflective methods in AI (e.g., Explainable AI, Uncertainty-aware AI),
- AI applications that create economic and societal value, or
- equiping individuals with the skills to thrive in the age of AI
…you are in the right place!
Within these areas, we combine rigorous research with practical relevance to ensure that scientifically grounded insights translate into real-world impact. Based on our research, we are commited to delivering excellent education and advancing both academia and society.
This website offers an overview of the courses and seminars we provide, current thesis openings, as well as the research conducted in our group.
We are excited to kick off the summer semester with Digital Services: Foundations, offered by the Research Group Information Systems IV - Digital Platform & Services at the Institute for Information Systems (WIN) and lectured by Prof. Maximilian Förster. Starting this summer semester, the course takes students on a deep dive into the fundamentals, innovation methods, analytics, and trends in the realm of digital services today. While the course has a history at our institute, the content has been thoroughly revamped to reflect the latest developments in the field — and we are genuinely looking forward to exploring it together with our students.
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An application-oriented research project at the intersection of social impact and Explainable AI has officially launched: the BMFTR-funded project EKILED (Erklärbare KI zum Lernen über digitale Desinformation) aims to make AI systems for detecting disinformation more transparent and educationally valuable.
Against the backdrop of growing challenges posed by digital disinformation in today’s interconnected public sphere, EKILED focuses on advancing Explainable AI approaches to open up the “black box” of complex AI models. The goal is to help users—particularly students—understand how and why AI systems classify content as disinformation, and which patterns they rely on in doing so.
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We are pleased to announce that as of April 1, 2026, Professor Dr. Maximilian Förster has started his position as Junior Professor and Head of the Research Group Information Systems IV - Digital Platform & Services at the Institute for Information Systems (WIN) at KIT. The junior professorship is sponsored by IBM in addition to its engagement within the Karlsruhe Digital Service Research & Innovation (KSRI) Hub.
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