Christopher Koska – Digital Architect & Researcher

About me

Dr. phil. Christopher Koska.

I explore how digital technologies – especially data and AI systems – can be designed and implemented in ways that are not only socially responsible and ethically sound, but also economically viable and practically useful.

My work spans academic research, consulting, and public dialogue. I hold a PhD in media ethics from the Munich School of Philosophy (Ethics of Algorithms) and have led interdisciplinary projects on AI-assisted decision-making in child welfare for public sector organisations, as well as on digital responsibility in data-driven companies. I also served as a Senior Researcher at the Center for Responsible AI Technologies (CReAITech) and helped establish the Corporate Digital Responsibility Lab (CDR-Lab) as part of my work as a Senior Consultant within a strategic consultancy company.

Earlier, I coordinated digital product development as an IT project manager at Bertelsmann and studied media technology, computer science, and philosophy in Cottbus, Berlin and Munich. Before starting university, I completed an internship at the International Data Group (IDG) in Silicon Valley while still in high school in the late 1990s – an early formative experience that sparked my interest in the cultural and ethical dimensions of digitalisation.

Today, I offer consulting, lectures, workshops, and project management – combining ethical reflection with hands-on experience to support meaningful and responsible digital transformation.

Monograph

Ethics of Algorithms.

Jetzt bestellen auf link.springer.com oder in ihrer Buchhandlung.

Techno:Phil – Aktuelle Herausforderungen der Technikphilosophie, Band 6

Was sind Algorithmen? Gibt es ein Ethos des algorithmischen Denkens und Handelns? Einen Richtungssinn, der uns Orientierung mit Blick auf die allumfassende Datafizierung gibt? Dieses Buch macht sich auf die Suche nach den ideen- und geistesgeschichtlichen Grundlagen der Algorithmik. Dabei besteht die zentrale Aufgabe darin, das Transparenz- und Kontrollproblem, welches sich auch als ein Kompetenz- und Befähigungsproblem darstellen lässt, begrifflich zugänglich zu machen, um es anschließend zu beurteilen und Gestaltungsperspektiven aufzuzeigen.

C. Koska
Ethics of Algorithms
2023. XIX, 205 S. 31 Abb., 22 Abb. in Farbe.
DOI: 10.1007/978-3-662-66795-8
Druckausgabe: Brosch.
€ (D) 59,99 | € (A) 61,67 | CHF 66.50
ISBN 978-3-662-66794-1
eBook:
€ 46,99 | CHF 53.00
ISBN 978-3-662-66795-8

Jetzt bestellen auf link.springer.com
oder in ihrer Buchhandlung.

Weitere Infos

Available via SpringerLink

Updatet and extended translation of the original German edition.

What are algorithms? Is there an ethos of algorithmic thinking and acting? A sense of direction that provides us with orientation in the face of comprehensive datafication? This book explores the historical and intellectual foundations of algorithmics. The central task is to conceptually describe the problem of transparency and control, which can also be understood as a problem of competence or empowerment, and make it accessible to an ethical approach in order to assess it and to highlight design perspectives.

C. Koska
Ethics of Algorithms.
2025 · XIX, 184 pages · 31 illustrations, 23 in colour
DOI: 10.1007/978-3-662-71518-5
Print edition: Softcover · €106.99
ISBN 978-3-662-71517-8
eBook: € 85.59
ISBN 978-3-662-71518-5

Available via SpringerLink.

More information

Further publications

Interview in Human 02/2024 zum KAIMo-Projekt, das erforscht, wie KI moralisch komplexe Entscheidungen im Bereich der Kinderfürsorge unterstützen kann.

Mitherausgeber dieses zweisprachigen Sammelbandes und Co-Autor von zwei Beiträgen: einer aus einem interdisziplinären Forschungsprojekt (KAIMo), einer gemeinsam mit Praktikerinnen aus einem datengetriebenen Unternehmen (DATEV).

Studie für die Bertelsmannstiftung (Hg.) in Kooperation mit Alexander Filipović und Claudia Paganini

Report for human 02/2024 on the KAIMo project, exploring how algorithms can support morally complex decisions in child welfare cases.

Co-editor of the bilingual anthology 'AI and Ethical Responsibility'. Contributor of two research articles written in collaboration with two different interdisciplinary research teams.

Developing a Professional Ethics for Algorithmists. Learning from the Examples of Established Ethics.

List of Publications

Monograph

Koska, Christopher (2025): Ethics of Algorithms. In Search of Numbers and Values. Springer Nature. Updatet and extended translation of the original German edition „Ethik der Algorithmen. Auf der Suche nach Zahlen und Werten.“ DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-71518-5
Koska, Christopher (2023): Ethik der Algorithmen. Auf der Suche nach Zahlen und Werten. J.B. Metzler Berlin, Heidelberg. Part of the book series: Techno:Phil – Aktuelle Herausforderungen der Technikphilosophie (Volume 6). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-66795-8

Editorship

Reder, Michael; Koska, Christopher (2024): Künstliche Intelligenz und ethische Verantwortung. Bilingual and interdisciplinary anthology on the role of artificial intelligence in moral decision-making. The volume covers the following key areas: human–machine relations, bias and discrimination in data and algorithms, technical and social implications of AI, child welfare and vulnerability. Transcript Verlag. Open Access (eBook). DOI: https://doi.org/10.14361/9783839469057

Articles and contributions

Koska, Christopher (forthcoming): Algorithmen und Automatisierung. Grundbegriffe der Daten- und Algorithmenethik. In: Filipović, A.; Endres, S.; Franzetti, A. (Eds.): Handbuch Medienethik. UVK/UTB. Forthcoming.
Koska, Christopher; Reder, Michael (2024): Intelligente Fürsorge. In: Human Magazine (02/2024), pp. 58–59. Verfügbar auf Deutsch und Englisch unter https://courage-lesen.de/human
Burghardt, Jennifer; Lehmann, Robert; Reder, Michael; Koska, Christopher; Kraus, Maximilian; Müller, Nicholas (2024): Kann Künstliche Intelligenz sozialarbeiterische Entscheidungsprozesse unterstützen? Ethik und digitale Operationalisierung im Feld der Kindeswohlgefährdung. In: unsere jugend (76), S. 300–310, online frei verfügbar unter: https://elibrary.utb.de/doi/pdf/10.2378/uj20240704
Wolf, Susanna; Gocke, Andrea; Koska, Christopher (2024): KI-Szenarien gemeinsam gestalten. In: Brink, A. (Ed.): Corporate Digital Responsibility. Menschenzentrierte Digitalisierung. Nomos. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5771/9783748949886
Koska, Christopher; Prugger, Julian; Jörg, Sophie; Reder, Michael (2024): Die Verlagerung von Vertrauen vom Menschen zur Maschine: Eine Erweiterung des zwischenmenschlichen Vertrauensparadigmas im Kontext Künstlicher Intelligenz. In: Beck, B.; Reinhardt, K.; Schweiger, G.; Zichy, M. (Eds.): Zeitschrift für Praktische Philosophie, Vol. 11(1), pp. 343–366. Open access: https://doi.org/10.22613/zfpp/11.1.14
Wolf, Susanna; Schütte, Jan-Fiete; Hauer, Marc; Koska, Christopher (2024): Vertrauen im Kontext. Messung und Operationalisierung. In: Reder, M.; Koska, C. (Eds.): Künstliche Intelligenz und ethische Verantwortung. Transcript Verlag.
Kraus, Maximilian; Burghardt, Jennifer; Koska, Christopher (2024): AI-assisted reflection in child welfare. In: Reder, M.; Koska, C. (Eds.): Künstliche Intelligenz und ethische Verantwortung. Transcript, pp. 63–83. Open access: https://doi.org/10.14361/9783839469057
Koska, Christopher; Reder, Michael (2023): KI-gestützte Assistenz für moralische Konfliktsituationen. Zur Algorithmisierung im Handlungsfeld der Kindeswohlgefährdung. In: Grimm, P.; Zöllner, O. (Eds.): Medien – Ethik – Digitalisierung. Aktuelle Herausforderungen. Schriftenreihe Medienethik, Vol. 19, Franz Steiner Verlag. Overview of the series: https://www.steiner-verlag.de/brand/Medienethik
Reder, Michael; Koska, Christopher (2022): Wie kann KI die Soziale Arbeit unterstützen? Online article: https://www.bidt.digital/wie-kann-ki-die-soziale-arbeit-unterstuetzen
Koska, Christopher (2022): Algorithmen und Automatisierung (KI). Grundbegriffe der Kommunikations- und Medienethik, Part 29. In: Communicatio Socialis, Vol. 3/2022. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5771/0010-3497-2022-3-367
Koska, Christopher (2020): Von der Digitalisierungsstrategie zur Datennutzungspraxis. In: Bertelsmann Stiftung, Wittenberg Center for Global Ethics (Eds.): Unternehmensverantwortung im digitalen Wandel. Ein Debattenbeitrag zur Corporate Digital Responsibility, pp. 239–245. Available online: https://www.bertelsmann-stiftung.de/de/publikationen/publikation/did/unternehmensverantwortung-im-digitalen-wandel-all
Filipović, Alexander; Koska, Christopher (2019): Corporate Digital Responsibility muss mehr als geltendes Recht abbilden. Online article: https://www.future-of-hr.com/2019/10/corporate-digital-responsibility-muss-mehr-als-geltendes-recht-abbilden
Koska, Christopher; Filipović, Alexander (2019): Blackbox AI – State Regulation or Corporate Responsibility? In: Digitale Welt, 3(4), pp. 28–31. Online available via SpringerLink, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42354-019-0208-5.Free version: https://digitaleweltmagazin.de/fachbeitrag/blackbox-ai-state-regulation-or-corporate-responsibility
ilipović, Alexander; Koska, Christopher; Paganini, Claudia (2018): Developing a Professional Ethics for Algorithmists. Learning from Examples of Established Ethics. In: Bertelsmann Stiftung (Ed.): Impulse Algorithmenethik (Workingpaper 9). DOI: https://doi.org/10.11586/2018034 10.11586/2018033
Koska, Christopher (2018): Autonomes Fahren vor dem Durchbruch: Künstliche Intelligenz und Big Data als Antwort auf ethische Dilemma-Situationen. In: Grimm, P.; Zöllner, O. (Eds.): Mensch – Maschine. Ethische Sichtweisen auf ein Spannungsverhältnis. Schriftenreihe Medienethik, Vol. 17, Franz Steiner Verlag, Stuttgart, pp. 73–92. https://elibrary.steiner-verlag.de/book/99.105010/9783515122726
Bitkom e.V. (2017): Entscheidungsunterstützung mit Künstlicher Intelligenz – Wirtschaftliche Bedeutung, gesellschaftliche Herausforderungen, menschliche Verantwortung. (Position paper, co-author). https://www.bitkom.org/Bitkom/Publikationen/Entscheidungsunterstuetzung-mit-Kuenstlicher-Intelligenz
Koska, Christopher; Filipović, Alexander (2017): Gestaltungsfragen der Digitalität. Zu den sozialethischen Herausforderungen von KI, Big Data und Virtualität. In: Bergold, R.; Sautermeister, J.; Schröder, A. (Eds.): Dem Wandel eine menschliche Gestalt geben. Freiburg: Herder, pp. 173–191. https://www.herder.de/theologie-pastoral-shop/dem-wandel-eine-menschliche-gestalt-geben
Koska, Christopher (2015): Zur Idee einer digitalen Bildungsidentität. In: Gapski, H. (Ed.): Big Data und Medienbildung. Schriftenreihe zur digitalen Gesellschaft NRW, Vol. 3, pp. 81–93. https://www.grimme-institut.de/publikationen/schriftenreihe/p/d/big-data-und-medienbildung
Koska, Christopher (2015): User- and Usage Mining | Privacy Preservation. Schritte zur Integration beider Welten. In: Grimm, P.; Keber, T. O.; Zöllner, O. (Eds.): Anonymität und Transparenz in der digitalen Gesellschaft. Schriftenreihe Medienethik, Vol. 15, Franz Steiner Verlag, Stuttgart, pp. 163–183.
Koska, Christopher (2015): Brockhaus 3.0. Zum Wandel der klassischen Gatekeeper-Funktion. In: Communicatio Socialis, 48(1), pp. 65–71. http://ejournal.communicatio-socialis.de/index.php/cc/article/view/907

Reviews

Koska, Christopher (2014): Review of: Lück, Anne-Kathrin (2013): Der gläserne Mensch im Internet. Ethische Reflexionen zur Sichtbarkeit, Leiblichkeit und Personalität in der Online-Kommunikation. Forum Systematik – Beiträge zur Dogmatik, Ethik und ökumenischen Theologie. Verlag W. Kohlhammer GmbH, Stuttgart. In: Communicatio Socialis, Vol. 47(3), pp. 378–379. Available online: http://ejournal.communicatio-socialis.de/index.php/cc/article/view/729/728
Koska, Christopher (2014): Review of: Beiler, Markus (2013): Nachrichtensuche im Internet. Inhaltsanalyse zur journalistischen Qualität von Nachrichtensuchmaschinen. UVK Verlagsgesellschaft mbH, Konstanz und München. In: Communicatio Socialis, Vol. 47(2),
pp. 254–256. Available online: http://ejournal.communicatio-socialis.de/index.php/cc/article/view/665/664

Talks, Lectures & Workshops.

Dates, Topics and Occasions

10 July 2025, Linz (Austria): How AI Can Support Social Work – Keynote and press briefing at the anniversary event “20 Years of Care and Case Management”, hosted by Proges Academy.
5 May 2025, Irsee Monastery (Germany): The Changing Nature of Work – How AI Is Reshaping the Demands on Human Care – Talk at the 50th annual conference of the Federal Association of Senior Psychiatric Nursing Professionals (BFLK).
28 November 2024, Ashesi University, Berekuso (Ghana): Introduction to the Development of Ethically-Aligned AI – Online lecture by invitation of Prof. Dr. Dirk Kleine.
2 July 2024, Rosenheim (Germany): KAIMo Project Presentation – Impulse talk and workshop with municipal youth welfare authorities, in collaboration with Prof. Robert Lehmann (TH Nuremberg), at the 29th Statewide Bavarian Youth Welfare Leadership Conference.
13 May 2024, Technical University of Ingolstadt (Germany): Ethics of Algorithms – Guest lecture in English as part of an international computer science programme, invited by Prof. Matthias Uhl.
22 March 2024, Munich (Germany): KAIMo Project Presentation – Talk at the Bavarian State Ministry for Family Affairs, Labour and Social Affairs, by invitation of State Secretary Dr. Markus Gruber, on transferring academic research into practical application.
3 November 2023, Munich (Germany): From CDR Principles to Practice – Successfully Implementing Guidelines – Workshop in cooperation with Niina Zuber (bidt) and Jan Fiete Schütte (dimension2) at the CDR Lab expert conference.
2 November 2023, Munich (Germany): Corporate Digital Responsibility – Building Digital Trust – Moderator of a public evening panel discussion at the Hochschule für Philosophie Munich, with guests from DATEV, Munich Airport, TU Munich, and others.
11 October 2023, Munich (Germany): AI-assisted Reflection of Implicit Biases in the Context of Child Welfare Assessment – Talk at the international workshop “Implicit Bias: What Are We Missing?” at the Hochschule für Philosophie Munich.
10 July 2023, Online: The Role of Data and AI in Relation to Diversity and Participation – Impulse talk at the AWO Future Workshop on Welfare and Data, hosted by the German AWO Federal Association.
23 June 2023, Munich (Germany): Trust in AI – More Than Reliability – Impulse talk at a workshop of the Federal Working Group on Digitalisation and Media (Alliance 90/The Greens) on trustworthy AI and the EU AI Act.
20 December 2022, Rosenheim (Germany): Introduction to the Ethics of Algorithms – Guest lecture in the course “Algorithms and Data Structures” at the Faculty of Computer Science, TH Rosenheim.
8 November 2022, University of Vienna (Austria): ‘Meaningful Human Control’ as a Topic in Digital Education – Impulse talk at the expert workshop “Organising Higher Education with AI? Ethical Perspectives on the Transformation of Academia.”
10 October 2022, Munich (Germany): Building Digital Trust – Opportunities and Challenges in Ethically Aligned Design – Talk at the international conference “Can Algorithms Calculate Morally?” at the Hochschule für Philosophie Munich.
12 July 2022, Nuremberg (Germany): IT and Ethics – Living Digital Responsibility – Panel discussion at the Nürnberg Digital Festival, hosted by DATEV.
20 June 2022, Online: Using Data Responsibly and Innovatively – Tensions and Thematic Orientation – Impulse talk at the CDR Lab workshop “Responsible and Innovative Use of Data”.
14 March 2022, Online: The EU AI Proposal – Presentation and Joint Discussion – Online workshop on “CDR – Standards, Regulation and Measurability” as part of the CDR Lab series.
23 November 2021, Online, Konstanz University of Applied Sciences: Dimensions of Algorithmic Ethics – Guest lecture in the interdisciplinary lecture series “Applied Ethics – Transdisciplinary Insights into Ethical Practice”, focused on ethics and AI.
29 October 2021, Munich (Germany): The 9 Principles of the CDR Code of the German Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection – Workshop as part of the CDR Lab.
27 October 2021, Online: Data Ethics Workshop (Staff & Members): Living Digital Responsibility – Part of the DATEV DigiCamp.
23 February 2021, Online: Best Practices – Bringing Data Ethics and AI Guidelines to Life – Talk at the Corporate Digital Responsibility Lab in Munich.
8 November 2019, Karlsruhe (Germany): Christian Responsibility in Digital Education – Impulse talk at the annual conference of the Church Working Group in Baden-Württemberg (KiLAG).
11 September 2019, Munich (Germany): Digital Futures – Impulse talk for the 2020/21 programme planning of the Munich Adult Education Centre.
1 February 2019, Wuppertal (Germany): Philosophical Aspects of the Digitalisation Debate – Talk at the 2nd Symposium “Informatics Learning and Understanding the Digital Media World”.
20 April 2018, Freiburg (Germany): The Digital Transformation of Education – Talk at the general assembly of the Association for Adult Education.
22 March 2018, Berlin (Germany): Philosophical Night Talk – Event at the STARTKLAR?! workshop conference hosted by the Goethe-Institut.
23 February 2018, Munich (Germany): Digital Educational Identity – The Right to Transparency and Explanation – Talk at the annual conference of the Media Ethics Network.
24 October 2017, Konstanz (Germany): Autonomous Driving and Ethics – Talk in the series “Applied Ethics – Transdisciplinary Insights into Ethical Practice”.
19 October 2017, Dresden (Germany): The Transparent Human Online – How Do We Want to Live in a Digital Society? – Public evening talk at the Catholic Academy Dresden.
11 October 2017, Munich (Germany): AI and Ethics – Roundtable at KICamp, Microsoft Germany.
21 June 2017, Stuttgart (Germany): Towards Moral Operating Systems for Self-driving Cars – Talk at IDEepolis 2017, Stuttgart Media University.
13 May 2017, Bayreuth (Germany): Do We Need Algorithm Ethics? Real-time Ethics as a Response to Real-time Communication – Talk at the Academy for Civic Education.
30 March 2017, Mainz (Germany): Algorithmic Ethics – Opportunities and Challenges of Real-time Ethics – Talk at bitkom/AK Big Data.
25 November 2015, Ansbach (Germany): The Power of Algorithms – Resisting Total Digital Control – Evening lecture at Ansbach University.
5 November 2015, Munich (Germany): Presentation of the Second EEXCESS Prototype – A Case Study in Transparent Recommendation Technology – Talk in the Data Journalism & Storytelling Working Group.
15 October 2015, Munich (Germany): Digital Educational Identity – A Media Ethics Perspective on Core Requirements in a Big Data Context – Talk at the Working Group on Digital Transformation of Society, Impact Hub.
2 April 2015, Toulouse (France): Paths to Knowledge on the Web – Opportunities and Challenges of Personalised Recommendation Technologies – Evening lecture at the German School Toulouse.
24 February 2015, Munich (Germany): Extended Reality – Extended Morality? – Panel discussion at Augmented Reality Day, University of Television and Film Munich.
14 October 2014, Munich (Germany): Information and Credibility Online – In the Filter Bubble Through the Flood of Information – Impulse talk at the Digital Future Youth Conference at Munich City Hall.
24 September 2014, Munich (Germany): Basic Technologies for Lifelong Learning – Impulse talk and workshop for employees at Klett-Langenscheidt GmbH.
18 September 2014, Hennef (Germany): Privacy and Data Protection Online – Opening talk at an educational event of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation.
16 July 2014, Munich (Germany): The Real World Comes to the Screen – Cinema workshop at ARRI Kino during the AG Interaktiv privacy action week.
14 June 2014, Munich (Germany): Are We Still Creative? Rethinking Innovation – Panel discussion at a public education event of the Thomas Dehler Foundation and the Friedrich Naumann Foundation.
7 June 2014, Berlin (Germany): Basic Technologies for Lifelong Learning – Workshop at the World Congress of German Schools Abroad (WDA), hosted at the Federal Foreign Office.
13 January 2014, Stuttgart (Germany): User and Usage Mining vs. Privacy Preservation – Steps Towards Integration – Talk at IDEepolis 2014, Stuttgart Media University.
6 September 2013, Graz (Austria): Research and Development – Brockhaus Online – Presentation at the practice forum of the i-KNOW 2013 conference on knowledge technologies and data-driven business.
18 July 2013, Munich (Germany): Digital Normal – A Changing Publishing World? – Impulse talk and panel participation at the Hochschule für Philosophie Munich.
18 April 2013, Munich (Germany): Applied Ontologies – Designing Knowledge Networks for Machine-Based Information Processing – Talk at the Peutinger Collegium business lunch, Bayerischer Hof.

Contact.

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About me

Monograph

Further publications

List of Publications

Monograph

Editorship

Articles and contributions

Reviews

Dates, Topics and Occasions

Expertise

Office