Emerging Sources Citation Index (Web of Science)

This article examines objections to the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in decisions affecting humans and argues that most objections rest on anthropocentric assumptions rather than evidence about decision quality. Critics often presume that human decision makers are uniquely capable of moral and contextual judgment, while AI systems are inferior, opaque or hostile. The article challenges this view arguing that modern AI systems are an expression of collective human intelligence and ethics, built on the image of human cognition, trained on curated human decisions and operating on best decision making frameworks. Drawing on empirical studies the article shows that modern AI systems offer unique advantages in decision-making, thus may already in some domains be as good at making good decisions as an average individual human. The article deconstructs main criticisms of AI decision-making and introduces the novel argument of inseparability between human and AI decisions. Human and AI contributions are increasingly intertwined, AI involvement is latent and appropriated by humans, making existing accountability frameworks based on a clear human–AI boundary obsolete. The article advocates for the development of agnostic decision-making frameworks that apply universal accountability to both human and non-human agents and provide a path to better decisions.

Background: Complete transparency in artificial intelligence is impossible to achieve.[1] In the interdependent technological context, the scope of artificial intelligence transparency and the logic behind the values that outweigh transparency are unclear. Legislation on artificial intelligence, such as the European Union Artificial Intelligence Act (hereinafter the EU AI Act), tries to define the true meaning and role of AI transparency. Methods: The author applies doctrinal research and comparative analysis methods to assess AI transparency in the EU AI Act; a framework of distinct transparency zones is established. Doctrinal research helps to define the scope of transparency obligations and examine their limitations and interaction within the EU AI Act, while comparative analysis highlights inconsistencies, such as an unexplained difference between transparency duties in distinct zones or different requirements for open source and proprietary AI. Results and conclusions: The findings reveal a fragmented and uneven framework of artificial intelligence transparency in the EU AI Act, shaped by many exemptions, exceptions, derogations, restrictions, and other limitations. The zero-transparency zone (established by Article 2) is too broad, with much discretion given to stakeholders. In contrast, the basic transparency zone (set by Article 50) is too narrow, posing risks to fundamental human rights. The next zone, the moderate transparency zone (Chapter V), struggles with responsibility sharing between AI providers and downstream deployers. Meanwhile, the high transparency zone (provided in Chapter III) privileges law enforcement. Lastly, the hybrid transparency zone highlights complications in managing interactions between different risk-level AI systems.The author concludes that the EU AI Act is progressive but needs more fine-tuning to function as a coherent and solid transparency framework. The scales between public interest in artificial intelligence transparency, individual and societal rights, and legitimate interests risk being calibrated post-factum.

Celsius Network was a crypto lending giant managing nearly USD 12 billion and aggressively courting EU crypto enthusiasts. More than two years after it entered bankruptcy, many former clients regret the day they signed up with the failed platform. The Celsius clawback lawsuits in the US against EU consumers present significant legal challenges that test the limits of EU consumer protection laws in cross-border digital finance cases. This article explores the defences available to EU consumers, focusing on the jurisdictional and substantive law rules set forth by the Brussels I (Recast) and Rome I Regulations, alongside the EU's stringent protections against unfair contractual terms. Despite Celsius' efforts to impose US law and jurisdiction on its EU customers, the article argues that these claims are legally unjustified. While such clawbacks cause stress and potential harm, including the risk of default judgments, EU law provides strong defences that should preclude any attempt to recognise and enforce these judgments within the EU. The article also addresses broader issues such as extraterritorial jurisdiction, the application of Actio Pauliana against consumers, and due process concerns in cross-border legal actions. It concludes with recommendations for clearer EU public guidance on consumer clawbacks and suggests directions for future policy and regulatory action.

Introduction: Although teacher victimization has been associated with reduced well-being, little is known about how teachers’ perceptions of their relationships within the school environment is linked to this association. This study examined whether perceived relationship quality moderates the link between different forms of victimization and teachers’ life satisfaction. Methods: A structural equation model was tested using data from a Lithuanian teacher sample (n = 1,146), incorporating three latent constructs: victimization (indicated by physical, social, verbal, cyber, and sexual victimization, as well as victimization involving property damage and violence perpetrated by school staff and parents), relationship perception (measured by perceived relationships with students, colleagues, school administration, and local educational authorities), and life satisfaction (assessed via the satisfaction with life scale). Results: The model demonstrated good fit [χ2(39) = 310.00, CFI = 0.941, TLI = 0.916, SRMR = 0.047, RMSEA = 0.078 (0.070, 0.086)]. Victimization was negatively related to both relationship perception (β = −0.35) and life satisfaction (β = −0.25), while relationship perception positively related to life satisfaction (β = 0.44, all p < 0.001). Moderation analyses revealed significant interaction effects: cyber, property, and physical victimization were more strongly associated with reduced life satisfaction among teachers who reported high perceived relationship quality with students or educational authorities. Contrary to buffering expectations, perceived relationships appeared to intensify the negative effects of victimization on life satisfaction. Discussion: These findings suggest that victimization may be especially damaging for teachers who typically view their school relationships as supportive, pointing to a potential breach in relational expectations. This highlights the importance of contextual factors in teacher well-being.

Different Digital Governance maturity models are established; however, limited research has examined their applicability at the local government level, particularly concerning the interrelations among dimensions such as Strategy, Employees, and Processes. Understanding these connections is vital for municipalities striving to enhance resilience through Digital Governance amidst uncertainties. This study aims to develop, justify, and empirically test a Triadic Model capturing the relationships among its dimensions, assessing Digital Governance maturity in local governments during crisis response. To achieve this, a quantitative survey was conducted across all 60 Lithuanian municipalities, and the collected data were analyzed using Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) to validate the factor structure and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to test the hypothesized relationships among variables and latent constructs. The findings reveal significant interrelations among the model’s dimensions in enhancing municipal resilience. Research proposes a comprehensive framework for assessing Digital Governance maturity at three levels—Digital Consistency, Digital Adaptation, and Digital Transformation—and examines their interactive influence during crises. The results highlight how the dimensions of the Triadic Model collectively reflect municipal responses, emphasizing the importance of an integrated, staged approach to digitalization. This validated framework advances understanding of Digital Governance in local authorities and underscores the relevance of interrelated key dimensions for fostering resilience in uncertain contexts. In addition to model validation, the study also explores practical variations in Digital Governance maturity among Lithuanian municipalities, demonstrating the model’s applicability as a diagnostic tool for local governments.

Background Since eco-anxiety has been linked to various mental health, well-being, and environmental conservation indicators, this study aims to further explore the prevalence of eco-anxiety and its links to mental health indicators, overall well-being, and environmentally responsible consumption Methods A nationally representative sample of 2,136 Lithuanians provided self-reported data on symptoms of eco-anxiety, depression, and general anxiety as well as on life satisfaction and environmentally responsible consumption. The prevalence of eco-anxiety symptoms was estimated based on mean score: no eco-anxiety symptoms group (M = 1), mild/medium eco-anxiety symptoms group (1.25 ≤ M ≥ 3), and high eco-anxiety symptoms group (3.25 ≤ M ≥ 5) Results In the general sample, 1.4% of respondents scored in the high range on eco-anxiety symptoms. We found no significant differences in the prevalence of eco-anxiety symptoms by gender, age, education, income, or relationship status. Higher eco-anxiety scores were associated with higher scores on depression and general anxiety symptoms. However, eco-anxiety symptoms were not related to life satisfaction. We found no significant relationship between eco-anxiety symptoms and regular consumption, whereas eco-anxiety symptoms were positively related to activism-oriented consumption Conclusion This study helps to address the underrepresentation of the Baltic region in eco-anxiety research. It adds to the growing evidence that eco-anxiety symptoms are prevalent among adult population and are negatively associated with mental health symptoms and positively associated with activism-oriented consumption.

The aim of this article is to identify the common features and differences of spatial planning instruments at the regional level in Central and Eastern Europe. The article compares institutional aspects concerning the regional level of spatial planning in Bulgaria, Estonia, Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Romania, Ukraine and Slovakia. Key regional documents in each country, linked to the spatial planning sphere, were identified. Two types of such documents were classified: development strategies with a spatial dimension and regional spatial plans. In countries where the spatial dimension is included in the strategies, the key issues are the definition of the functional and hierarchical structure of the land, the identification of functional areas and areas of particular importance from a development perspective. Most often, spatial plans distinguish the structure of the settlement network, the layout of the infrastructure network, areas suitable for development and areas requiring special protection.

Introduction: The interplay between digital culture and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) represents a major paradigm shift in the creative industries, especially in the European context. This article examines the relevance of this issue, highlighting the transformative impact of NFTs on artistic practices and the art market in general. The study addresses the dual nature of NFT as a source of opportunities and challenges for artists, including issues of authenticity, intellectual property rights and environmental sustainability. The study aims to understand the implications of NFTs for European artists, focusing on their potential to enhance economic opportunities while recognizing the associated risks. Methodology: A mixed-methods approach is employed, including a comprehensive review of the academic literature, as well as a survey of artists, collectors and entrepreneurs to gather information on their experiences and perceptions of NFTs. Findings: These reveal that while NFTs offer innovative avenues for monetization and audience engagement, they also raise critical concerns about market volatility, regulatory frameworks and ethical implications. As artists grapple with the complexities of market volatility and ethical dilemmas, there is an imperative need for clear regulations and frameworks, as well as fostering knowledge and collaboration. Conclusions and discussion: This article contributes to the discourse on the future of digital culture in Lithuania, suggesting that a balanced approach is essential to harness the benefits of NFT while mitigating its challenges  .

Different companies need to spread the word about products; advertising agencies need to make rational decisions, simplify decision-making, find the best alternative, and increase the reach of potential users. While demographic, geographic, etc. factors are recognized when selecting advertising tools, there's a scarcity of studies tailored to the suitability of digital advertising formats for products in a specific category. The existing studies provide insights into ways to improve the effectiveness of individual digital advertising formats but are of limited use for strategic decision-making. This study assumes that some digital advertising formats are more suitable for products from different business sectors than others. The primary objective is to assess the suitability of digital advertising formats for different products categories. To achieve this objective, digital advertising formats and business sectors were categorized after delving into content and relevance. Surveying advertising experts in Spain, the study employs MCDA method to summarize outcomes. The research findings reveal that advertisement formats like Search Engine Marketing and Online Behavioral Advertising are deemed most suitable across all sectors. Conversely, the Advergames exhibits the lowest assessment for the Hygiene and Public Services. In-game advertising also got the lowest rating, primarily within the Hygiene and Public Services sector. At the same time, Merchandising of Famous Figures in a Virtual World receives a less favourable evaluation, particularly within the Financial Services sector. The research findings offer valuable guidelines for decision-makers in advertising, aiding in campaign strategic planning and identifying the most expedient digital advertising formats for products across diverse sectors.

Radiation exists naturally in the environment. However, human activities, especially those related to nuclear weapons, energy generation, and medical infrastructures, can increase radioactivity levels in air, soil, and water, threatening human health. Both urban and rural populations can be exposed to radioactivity, making mapping an essential tool for a better understanding of radiation concentration. In this work, we developed a “walk-borne” survey methodology to map real-time gamma radiation (count and dose rate) in an urban area (Vilnius, Lithuania) using a small portable spectrometer (RadiaCode). A detailed method was developed considering 1) RadiaCode test in the field, 2) study site selection, 3) transect design to map count and dose rate, 4) RadiaCode map settings preparation, 5) fieldwork and data preparation, 6) data download and processing, and 7) statistical and spatial analysis. This method will be key to identifying potential radiation sources and accumulation that can be transferable to other environments. • A novel “walk-borne” survey methodology was developed to map real-time gamma-ray radiation using a small portable spectrometer; • High-resolution mapping of potential radiation sources can be identified with their implications for human health • This method can help identify areas with potential radiation risks.