Gabriel Pereira

Gabriel Pereira is Assistant Professor in AI & Digital Culture at the University of Amsterdam (UvA), based at the Media Studies department and the Institute for Logic, Language and Computation (ILLC). His primary affiliation is with the Natural Language Processing & Digital Humanities (NLP&DH) group. Pereira's research focuses on the critical study of data and algorithms, particularly as they intersect with vision, images, and surveillance systems. He brings an interdisciplinary approach that combines Science and Technology Studies (STS), critical algorithm studies, platform studies, and artistic interventions to examine how computational systems shape social relations and power structures.

Pereira's research interests center on critical perspectives of computer vision and algorithmic governance, with particular attention to how these technologies operate in contexts of surveillance, platform labor, and digital culture. His work critically examines hegemonic computer vision systems that reinforce surveillance capitalism while exploring alternative ways of seeing and engaging with technology. He has conducted extensive research on Automated License Plate Recognition systems, WhatsApp disruptions in Brazil, and the political economy of smart surveillance projects like Curitiba's 'Digital Wall.' His methodology combines qualitative research with practice-based inquiry, including arts-based and interventionist approaches that challenge dominant technological narratives.

His publication trends reveal a consistent focus on critical examinations of algorithmic systems, with growing attention to resistance practices, decolonial perspectives, and situated knowledge from the Global South. The articles show a trajectory from analyzing specific surveillance technologies toward broader theoretical frameworks for understanding algorithmic antagonisms and developing critical technical practices. His work consistently bridges theory and practice, often collaborating with artists and activists to create interventions that make visible the hidden operations of algorithmic systems.

• Independent Research Fund Denmark International Postdoc grant
• Deviant Practice Grant (Van Abbemuseum)

Pereira actively organizes academic and artistic events, serving as Secretary of the Association of Internet Researchers and participating in the Tierra Común network. He co-organized the Con/Crit/Tec residency in São Paulo that brought together over 80 transdisciplinary researchers to explore alternative geographies of digital consciousness. His collaborative approach extends to numerous grant-funded projects examining platform labor, algorithmic surveillance, and critical data literacy. Pereira emphasizes organizing as an essential element of research work, facilitating knowledge exchange between academic, artistic, and activist communities.

He is affiliated with multiple research collectives including the Center for Arts, Design and Social Research (CAD+SR), where he serves as a Researcher in Residence. His practice-based projects like 'Future Movement Future – REJECTED,' 'Algorithmic Sea,' and 'History of _rt' demonstrate his commitment to using artistic interventions as critical research methods. These projects often involve collaborations with artists, technologists, and activists to create alternative ways of engaging with and understanding algorithmic systems.