Digitalization & language: How much streamlining can we afford?

Upcoming Panel Discussion within the project “Disentangling effects of digitization on linguistic diversity” DIGILINGDIV 

How much linguistic streamlining can our societies actually afford? Join us as we discuss the ‘digital language divide’ and the profound impact of Large Language Models on global linguistic diversity with a panel of leading experts.

To tackle this interdisciplinary challenge, we have invited three leading experts who bridge the gap between mathematics, computer science, and linguistics:

• András Kornai (Professor of Mathematics, Budapest Institute of Technology)
• Britta Schneider (Professor of English Applied Linguistics, University of Vienna)
• Hannes Werthner (Professor of Computer Science and co-founder of the Digital Humanism initiative, TU Wien)

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Join the Discussion at the Hofburg

The event, organized by the DIGILINGDIV project and funded by the WWTF, offers a unique platform to discuss the future of our linguistic heritage in the age of AI.

Event Schedule:

• 17:00: Doors open
• 17:15: Welcome address & DIGILINGDIV research update
• 17:30: Panel Discussion
• 19:00: Networking with snacks, drinks, and poster presentations

Save the Date!
When: Monday, June 15th, 2026 | 17:00 – 20:00
Where: Hofburg, Schreyvogelsaal (Entrance via Michaelerkuppel)
Languages: English and German

Registration: Please register via this link by June 8th.

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The DIGILINGDIV project is part of a larger research ecosystem supported by the WWTF.
The project is supported by the dedicated research of three of our PhD candidates, whose work bridges the gap between historical linguistics and modern digital challenges:

• Juliane Benson focuses on linguistic diversity within the context of colonialism and digitalization, with a particular geographic emphasis on Canada.
• Hannes Essfors examines the development of linguistic diversity in the digital space, utilizing frameworks from ecology to analyze the interplay between digital and non-digital diversity and how technology shapes our multilingual society.
• Katharina Zeh investigates how migration and digitalization jointly shape global language diversity, specifically examining lexical borrowing as a key mechanism of language contact and resilience.

Their contributions highlight the interdisciplinary strength of the Digital Humanities Doctoral College and its commitment to understanding the transformation of language in a globalized world.