Blog post - 10. Mar 2026

The use of artificial intelligence to achieve personal and professional goals was the focus of an event held for the second time at the Altes Gasometer.

Under the title “Achieving goals more easily with AI,” the Kontrovers series invited guests to BarTerre in Zwickau on March 4, 2026, to shed light on the basics, practical applications, and ethical limits of this technology.
The event met with the greatest response to date, exceeding all previous expectations. This once again highlighted how relevant the topic is for urban society. While the organizers usually expect between 15 and 30 guests, the turnout was between 100 and 150. The event met with the greatest response to date, exceeding all previous expectations. This once again highlighted how relevant the topic is for urban society. While the organizers usually welcome between 15 and 30 guests, 70 people crowded into the event room that evening.

Only with the active help of those present in rearranging the furniture was it possible to make maximum use of the space, although around 15 interested parties still had to be turned away due to capacity limits.

The workshop was a collaboration between the Saxon State Agency for Political Education, the Zwickau Adult Education Center, the Alliance for Democracy and Tolerance, and the Old Gasometer. Dr. Christian Papsdorf led the evening in an informative and relaxed manner, reaching an audience that included all age groups from teenagers to retirees.

In practical demonstrations, the group tested the knowledge base of various AI models on specific topics such as subsidy programs for energy-efficient renovation of residential buildings. A particular focus was on the creation of images using text commands, with the generation of a photorealistic image of aged quadruplets in a punk aesthetic causing some amusement.

These examples also demonstrated to the audience the growing ability of technology to deliver deceptively realistic results, thereby blurring the line between reality and simulation.

Another focus of the discussion was agentic systems, which are independent programs that can, for example, fill out forms provided they have the necessary information. The automation of complex workflows was also discussed. Dr. Christian Papsdorf explained that although it is possible to create such workflows in the familiar models, the process remains time-consuming and the results are currently still highly prone to error.

The participants took the opportunity to ask a wide variety of questions, confirming the character of the series as a place for critical discussion and education. The mixture of practical application and theoretical classification enabled a differentiated view of the opportunities and risks of digital tools.

Due to the enormous interest, the event will be repeated on April 14, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. in the Glauchau City Library.

This evening will once again highlight the importance of low-threshold educational opportunities on technological transformations for democratic participation. Teaching media literacy and understanding digital processes remain key components in ensuring that all segments of the population can participate in modern society. Future formats will continue to seek dialogue between experts and the public in order to explore controversial topics objectively and, above all, collaboratively.