Fabian Offert

Fabian Offert is an Assistant Professor in the Department of History and Theory of the Digital Humanities at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB). He serves as Director of the Center for the Humanities and Machine Learning and Principal Investigator of the AI Forensics Project, funded by the Volkswagen Foundation. His research focuses on the epistemology, aesthetics, and politics of artificial intelligence, with a current book project exploring how AI models represent cultural concepts.

Offert’s academic background includes roles at German institutions such as ZKM Karlsruhe and Goethe-Institut New York. His work bridges humanities and technical disciplines, advocating for methodologically rigorous critical approaches to AI. Key themes in his research include the limitations of existing critical frameworks, the material grounding of AI critiques, and the intersection of machine learning with visual and cultural studies.

Recent projects include the Critical Machine Learning Studies initiative, funded by UCHRI, which emphasizes situated analyses of specific machine learning systems. His pedagogical efforts aim to counteract misinformation about AI, equipping students with tools to critically engage technical systems through close reading of models and technical papers.

Offert’s upcoming engagements include lectures at institutions like UC Berkeley, MIT, and UW Seattle, addressing topics such as the cultural politics of computational imagery and ethical dimensions of AI. His work consistently advocates for interdisciplinary collaboration and technically informed humanities scholarship.