معرفی
Vili Lehdonvirta serves as Professor in the Department of Computer Science at Aalto University, where he leads research at the intersection of digital technologies and socio-economic systems. His work critically examines how platform economies reshape labor markets, geopolitical power structures, and everyday social practices through computational mediation.
Lehdonvirta's research program centers on three interconnected domains: the gig economy's transformation of labor relations and dispute resolution mechanisms; the geopolitical contestation over digital infrastructure including cloud data centers; and the evolving nature of unpaid work amidst technological change. His methodology integrates computational social science with political economy frameworks, emphasizing real-world impacts on workers, communities, and international power dynamics. Recent investigations address algorithmic management in platform work, the weaponization of digital interdependence between superpowers, and the spatial polarization of remote work opportunities.
Analysis of his 2022-2025 publications reveals intensifying focus on geopolitical dimensions of digital infrastructure alongside persistent examination of labor platform governance. The 2025 study on US-Chinese cloud data centers exemplifies his shift toward macro-level analysis of technology sovereignty, while continuing longitudinal work on gig economy contention demonstrates methodological rigor in tracking emergent worker resistance tactics. His research consistently bridges technical infrastructure studies with granular analyses of human experiences within digital systems.
As an active member of Aalto University's Computer Science Professors research group, Lehdonvirta maintains extensive international collaborations evidenced by multi-institutional publications. His work connects computer science departments with social science faculties through shared investigations into technology's societal implications, particularly regarding labor rights in digitally mediated markets and infrastructure sovereignty in contested geopolitical environments.
